Word
twine
US/ˈtwaɪn/
UK/twˈaɪn/
Definitions
01strong string
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a strong, thin string made by twisting several threads together.
n. a strong cord or string composed of two or more strands twisted together, typically used for binding or netting.
“He used a piece of garden twine to tie the tomato plants to the wooden stakes.”
“The parcel was securely bound with heavy-duty twine, knotted tightly to ensure it would withstand the rigours of international shipping.”
02to wind around
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to wrap or wind around something else.
v. to wind or coil around an object or support; often used to describe the growth pattern of climbing plants.
“Ivy began to twine around the old stone pillars of the porch.”
“The vines continued to twine upward, eventually obscuring the trellis entirely with a dense curtain of green leaves.”
Antonyms
03to weave together
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to twist two or more things together to make one.
v. to interweave or twist strands together to form a single cord or complex structure.
“She twined the colourful ribbons together to make a decorative border.”
“The artisan carefully twined the silver wires to create an intricate filigree pattern for the necklace.”
Real-World Examples
“What made cordage like rope, string and twine so transformative, therefore, was that it connected other technologies together to radically expand what prehistoric humans could build, carry and hunt.” Etymology
From Middle English twyn, twyne, twin, from Old English twīn (“double thread, twist, twine, linen-thread, linen”), from Proto-West Germanic twiʀn (“thread, twine”), from Proto-Indo-European dwisnós (“double”), from *dwóh₁ (“two”).
From Middle English twinen, twynen, from Old English twīnian (“to twine, thread”), from Proto-Germanic twiznōną (“to thread”), from Proto-Indo-European dwisnós (“double”), from Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ (“two”). Cognate with Dutch twijnen (“to twine, contort, throw”), Danish tvinde (“to twist”), Swedish tvinna (“to twist, twine, throw”), Icelandic tvinna (“to merge, twine”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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