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Glite Dictionary
🔀 An unexpected change 🔄 To turn or wind 🔄 A turning movement 🤕 To sprain 🌀 To misrepresent 🕺 A 1960s dance 🕺 To dance 💇 A twisted hairstyle 🤕 A sprain
twist

twist

4 3.7
A sudden injury to a joint or muscle from turning it awkwardly
  • noun
  • /twɪst/
translation icon : torcedura
  • After he landed awkwardly, he felt a sharp twist in his ankle that left him unable to walk.
  • ankle twist

Examples

  • A sprain is an injury to ligament tissue usually caused by a wrench or twist, resulting in decreased joint stability.

    Academic text (2003)

  • I saw his ankle twist when he hit the cinders, and he fell in a heap.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • She winced as a sudden twist in her knee reminded her of her previous injury.

  • The doctor explained that a twist in the ligament could take weeks to heal properly.

Synonyms

strain
vstwist
22 4.2

An injury to a muscle or tendon caused by overstretching that causes pain

is a sudden injury from awkward turning rather than gradual overuse
wrench
vstwist
10 4.3

A sudden strong pull that causes pain or a strong sad feeling when you leave someone

is a sudden injury from awkward stretching or turning of a limb
pull
vstwist
10 4.8

An injury to a muscle caused by stretching it too much

is a sudden injury caused by awkward turning rather than slow overstretching

Idioms

to get your knickers in a twist
  • UK
2 9.1

To become upset or worried about small things

to twist someone's arm
  • Informal
1 4.4

Get someone to agree or do something by pressuring them

twist of the knife
  • Informal
1 8.9

A hurtful comment or action that makes someone feel worse after bad news

Compounds

unexpected twist
2 4.2

A surprising event in a story that changes the expected outcome

fun twist
1 3.4

A surprising change that makes something more fun

modern twist on
1 4.3

A new version of an old idea used in fashion, food, or stories

twist drill
  • Specialized
1 4.9

A small cutting tool with spiral grooves that makes holes in wood or metal

spicy twist
3.9

A small unexpected hot flavor added to a dish

twist bit
  • Specialized
5.5

A drill part with spiral grooves that cuts holes in wood or metal

twist song
  • Archaic
5.5

A song for the Twist dance that made people dance in the 1960s

twist wood
  • UK
9.9

A bush that loses its leaves and has red berries that turn black when ripe

twist-off cap
2.1

A lid you open by turning to remove from a bottle or jar

twist-off lid
2.6

A lid you turn to open and close, usually on jars or bottles

How Serious

to rupture
95 6.8
tear
207 1.0
twist
4 3.7
tweak
2 4.6

Surface Forms

twist singular
twists plural

Etymology

Twist is from an old word meaning 'to turn', so a muscle or ligament 'twist' is when a body part is turned or stretched the wrong way and becomes injured. That's why a quick 'twist' can cause pain.