Word
twain
US/ˈtweɪn/
UK/twˈeɪn/
Definitions
01the number two
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
num. an old word for the number two.
num. the cardinal number two. This form is archaic and restricted to poetic or highly formal registers.
“The path split in twain, and we did not know which way to go.”
“The heavy iron gates were rent in twain by the force of the explosion, leaving the courtyard exposed to the advancing troops.”
Usage
Commonly found in the phrase 'in twain', meaning 'in two pieces'.
Synonyms
02a pair or couple
C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Archaic · Literary
n. two people or things that belong together.
n. a set of two; a pair or couple.
“The two lovers vowed that never the twain shall part.”
“Though they were born of the same house, the twain followed vastly different paths in their adult lives.”
Teaching tip
Modern speakers almost exclusively encounter this in the idiom 'never the twain shall meet', referring to two things that are so different they can never be reconciled.
03to divide in two
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
v. to break or cut something into two pieces.
v. to divide, sunder, or part something into two distinct pieces.
“The lightning strike twained the ancient oak tree right down the middle.”
“The sudden tectonic shift twained the valley floor, creating a jagged fissure that swallowed the mountain path.”
04scanner software protocol
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Computing Technical
n. a technical name for the system that helps your computer talk to a scanner or digital camera.
n. a standard software protocol and API that regulates communication between software applications and imaging devices.
“I need to install the TWAIN driver before the computer will recognise the new scanner.”
“The technician confirmed that the imaging software was fully TWAIN-compliant, ensuring seamless integration with the office's high-speed document scanners.”
Usage
Often written in all-caps as TWAIN, though it is not officially an acronym.
Teaching tip
While the name is technically a backronym for 'Technology Without An Interesting Name', it is treated as a proper noun in IT contexts.
Real-World Examples
“One randomised controlled trial has even examined two popular drinkers' adages – "beer before wine and you'll feel fine; wine before beer and you'll feel queer", and "grape or grain but never the twain".” Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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