TWITCH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does twitch mean? 

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

1. a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition

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

• TWITCH (verb)
  The verb TWITCH has 5 senses:

1. make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion

2. move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions

3. toss with a sharp movement so as to cause to turn over in the air

4. squeeze tightly between the fingers

5. move or pull with a sudden motion

  Familiarity information: TWITCH used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TWITCH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

twitch; twitching; vellication

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

cramp; muscle spasm; spasm (a painful and involuntary muscular contraction)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twitch"):

tic (a local and habitual twitching especially in the face)

blepharism (condition in which a person blinks continuously)

fibrillation (muscular twitching involving individual muscle fibers acting without coordination)

fasciculation (muscular twitching of contiguous groups of muscle fibers)

Derivation:

twitch (make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion)

twitch (move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions)

• TWITCH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they twitch    ... he / she / it twitches   
Past simple: twitched   
Past participle: twitched   
-ing form: twitching   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

jerk; twitch

Context example:

his face is twitching

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

move involuntarily; move reflexively (move in an uncontrolled manner)

Verb group:

jerk; twitch (move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions)

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

fibrillate (make fine, irregular, rapid twitching movements)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody's (body part) ----s

Derivation:

twitch; twitching (a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

jerk; twitch

Context example:

The patient's legs were jerkings

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

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Verb group:

jerk; twitch (make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion)

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

twitch; twitching (a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Toss with a sharp movement so as to cause to turn over in the air

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

flip; twitch

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

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 4

Meaning:

Squeeze tightly between the fingers

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

nip; pinch; squeeze; tweet; twinge; twitch

Context example:

She squeezed the bottle

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

grip (hold fast or firmly)

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

goose (pinch in the buttocks)

tweak (pinch or squeeze sharply)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 5

Meaning:

Move or pull with a sudden motion

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

draw; pull (cause to move by pulling)

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

skitter (twitch the hook of a fishing line through or along the surface of water)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

The weakness can lead to twitching, cramps, aches and pains, and joint and movement problems.

(Neuromuscular Disorders, NIH)

Symptoms include muscle twitching, weakness, stiffness, and cramping; increased skin temperature, sweating, and heart rate; and problems with chewing, swallowing, speech, and breathing.

(Isaac syndrome, NCI Dictionary)

Her voice shook, her eyelids twitched, her left arm jerked, but she carried it out.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) Somatic (muscular); pains and aches, twitching, stiffness, myoclonic jerks, grinding of teeth, unsteady voice, increased muscular tone.

(HAMA - Somatic (Muscular), NCI Thesaurus)

There are also specific eyelid problems, including: • Eyelids that turn in or out • Eyelids that droop • Abnormal blinking or twitching

(Eyelid Disorders, NIH)

He pushed his face forward as he spoke and his lips and eyelids were continually twitching like a man with St. Vitus’s dance.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The old man lay back in his chair with a twitching face, and stared at her with brooding eyes.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"I know I shall forget. If you see me doing anything wrong, just remind me by a wink, will you?" returned Jo, giving her collar a twitch and her head a hasty brush.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Skeletal muscle fibers having low myofibrillar ATPase activity, low glycogen content, and high myoglobin content, high mitochondrial oxidative enzyme activities, and an intermediate mitochondrial content which produce a slow twitch and are fatigue-resistant.

(Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

He still held the light, but his fingers twitched, and with every twitch the shadows sprang from the walls to the ceiling.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)