TWEAK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tweak mean? 

• TWEAK (noun)
  The noun TWEAK has 1 sense:

1. a squeeze with the fingers

  Familiarity information: TWEAK used as a noun is very rare.

• TWEAK (verb)
  The verb TWEAK has 3 senses:

1. pinch or squeeze sharply

2. pull or pull out sharply

3. adjust finely

  Familiarity information: TWEAK used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TWEAK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A squeeze with the fingers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

pinch; tweak

Hypernyms ("tweak" is a kind of...):

squeeze; squeezing (the act of gripping and pressing firmly)

Derivation:

tweak (pull or pull out sharply)

tweak (pinch or squeeze sharply)

• TWEAK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they tweak    ... he / she / it tweaks   
Past simple: tweaked   
Past participle: tweaked   
-ing form: tweaking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Pinch or squeeze sharply

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "tweak" is one way to...):

nip; pinch; squeeze; tweet; twinge; twitch (squeeze tightly between the fingers)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tweak (a squeeze with the fingers)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Pull or pull out sharply

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pick off; pluck; pull off; tweak

Context example:

pluck the flowers off the bush

Hypernyms (to "tweak" is one way to...):

draw; pull (cause to move by pulling)

Verb group:

draw away; draw off; pull off (remove by drawing or pulling)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tweak"):

tweeze (pluck with tweezers)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

tweak (a squeeze with the fingers)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Adjust finely

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

fine-tune; tweak

Context example:

fine-tune the engine

Hypernyms (to "tweak" is one way to...):

tune; tune up (adjust for (better) functioning)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

You can tweak those you feel could use a few improvements.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

And Jo pulled her hair again with a wrathful tweak.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

For caresses, too, I now got grimaces; for a pressure of the hand, a pinch on the arm; for a kiss on the cheek, a severe tweak of the ear.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Scientists found extracts of Broccoli can tweak chemical imbalances in the brains of people with the condition.

(Key to Treating Schizophrenia May Be Found in Broccoli, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Promising results finally came when the researchers added a third gas, essentially tweaking the flavors in the recipe for the first time.

(Experiments recreate aromatic flavors of Titan, NASA)

By tweaking the ink composition and the sensor design, the team were able to make the ink change colour faster or slower, allowing them to produce different sensors that are tailored to the six different types of skin colour.

(New wristband provides personalised and real-time tracking of UV exposure, University of Granada)

Again: because it is a general complaint, that the favourites of princes are troubled with short and weak memories; the same doctor proposed, that whoever attended a first minister, after having told his business, with the utmost brevity and in the plainest words, should, at his departure, give the said minister a tweak by the nose, or a kick in the belly, or tread on his corns, or lug him thrice by both ears, or run a pin into his breech; or pinch his arm black and blue, to prevent forgetfulness; and at every levee day, repeat the same operation, till the business were done, or absolutely refused.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

You seem to be working behind the scenes on a project that needs more tweaking before you’ll be ready to show it to the world.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

"Ha, ha! Never say die, take a pinch of snuff, goodbye, goodbye!" squalled Polly, dancing on her perch, and clawing at the old lady's cap as Laurie tweaked him in the rear.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Mercury will be retrograde from the start of the month until November 20, suggesting your strategy will need to be tweaked.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)