TWIT (twitted, twitting)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: twitted    , twitting   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does twit mean? 

• TWIT (noun)
  The noun TWIT has 2 senses:

1. someone who is regarded as contemptible

2. aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing

  Familiarity information: TWIT used as a noun is rare.

• TWIT (verb)
  The verb TWIT has 1 sense:

1. harass with persistent criticism or carping

  Familiarity information: TWIT used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TWIT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who is regarded as contemptible

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

twerp; twirp; twit

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

simple; simpleton (a person lacking intelligence or common sense)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

taunt; taunting; twit

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

aggravation; irritation; provocation (unfriendly behavior that causes anger or resentment)

Derivation:

twit (harass with persistent criticism or carping)

• TWIT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they twit    ... he / she / it twits   
Past simple: twitted   
Past participle: twitted   
-ing form: twitting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Harass with persistent criticism or carping

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

bait; cod; rag; rally; razz; ride; tantalise; tantalize; taunt; tease; twit

Context example:

His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie

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

bemock; mock (treat with contempt)

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

barrack; flout; gibe; jeer; scoff (laugh at with contempt and derision)

banter; chaff; jolly; josh; kid (be silly or tease one another)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

twit (aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing)

 Context examples 

“And still no more dead men,” I twitted Louis, when Smoke and Henderson, side by side, in friendly conversation, took their first exercise on deck.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He and Ruth's father were discussing labor union politics, the local situation, and socialism, and Mr. Morse was endeavoring to twit Martin on the latter topic.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

This troubled me the more for a long time, because I had soon told Steerforth, from whom I could no more keep such a secret, than I could keep a cake or any other tangible possession, about the two old women Mr. Mell had taken me to see; and I was always afraid that Steerforth would let it out, and twit him with it.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Mary Kingsley insisted on lending her her watch till recess, and Jenny Snow, a satirical young lady, who had basely twitted Amy upon her limeless state, promptly buried the hatchet and offered to furnish answers to certain appalling sums.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“Cooky’s sharpening his knife for Hump,” was being whispered about among the sailors, and some of them twitted him about it.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)