twitch

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition
  2. verb make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion
  3. verb move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions

Etymology

From Middle English twicchen, from Old English *twiċċan, from Proto-West Germanic *twikkijan (“to nail, pin, fasten, clasp, pinch”). Cognate with English tweak, Low German twikken, German Low German twicken (“to pinch, pinch off”), zweckōn and gizwickan (> German zwicken (“to pinch”)).

In classic literature

Synonyms

twitching, vellication

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