▪ I. twisel, twissel, n. (a.) Obs. exc. dial.
(ˈtwɪs(ə)l, ˈtwɪz(ə)l)
Forms: 1 twisla, twisel-; 4 twisil, 6 twisel, twissell, 9 twissel, (twistle, twizzle).
[OE. twisla = OHG. zwisila (MHG. zwisel, G. zwiesel), f. twi- twi-; cf. also ON. kv{iacu}sl.]
1. A point or part at which anything divides into branches; a fork. Now dial.
| 931 Chart. æðelstan 21 June in Birch Cart. Sax. II. 360 Of þam mere on þan lace þær þa brocas twisliað; þanne of ðæm twislan on mær beorh. 1586 J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 43/1 The same were so soft, that with the weight of their bodies they sunke downe vp to the hard knees or twisels. 1847–78 Halliwell, Twissel, Twistle, that part of a tree where the branches divide from the stock. West. 1888 Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. 784 In the twizzle of that there pollard. |
† 2. A double twig or shoot. Obs. rare.
| 1567 Turberv. Poems, ‘The Lover wisheth’ 34 As from a tree we sundrie times espie A twissell grow by Natures subtile might, And being two..For one are tane. |
3. attrib. or as adj. Double, twofold (in comb.). Obs. exc. poet.
| c 1000 ælfric's Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 108/15 Scinodens, twiseltoðe. 1382 Wyclif Prov. viii. 13 The mouth of the twisil tunge I wlate. ― Ecclus. v. 16 Be thou not clepid a twisil tunge, or a priue bacbiter. Ibid. vi. 1 Eche synnere enuyous and twisil tungid. 1956 [see penelopize v.]. |
▪ II. † ˈtwisel, v. Obs.
Forms: 1 twislian, 3 twiselen, 4 twesel, 5 twysle.
[f. prec.; cf. MHG. zwiselen and ON. kv{iacu}sla.]
intr. To separate into two or more branches; to fork; to bifurcate. Hence † ˈtwisled ppl. a., † ˈtwisling vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 931 [see twisel n.]. 967 Charter of Eadgar in Kemble Cod. Dipl. III. 14 On ðone twisledan beam. a 1000 Sax. Leechd. III. 436 æfter his forðsiþe Eadgar..þæs rices twislunge eft to annesse brohte. c 1000 in Wr.-Wülcker 148/25 Scandula, twisld corn. 1042 Charter of Hardacnut in Kemble Cod. Dipl. IV. 66 Ðær ða weᵹes twisliᵹað. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 117 Ðo openede þe holi gost him seluen to isende bi þan þe hem þuhte shapen alse tunge fele twiselende and on fires hewe. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xxvi. (Bodl. MS.), Þe tweseled [ed. 1495 twyslyd] forkes ben nedeful. |