twitch
26
3.5
- noun
- /twɪtʃ/
- "When I'm under stress," he says finally, "I get this twitch in my left thumb."
- a muscle twitch
Examples
-
And I have a slight nervous twitch in my eye.
-
Not one twitch in the last two hours.
-
Her breathing is hard, her eyes flutter, and there is a twitch in her neck.
Fiction book (1991) -
Of late, I've noticed a slight twitch developing in my left eye.
Academic text (1993) -
Lily felt the muscles in her face twitch and knew her composure was dissolving.
Fiction book (1993) -
Jobber saw the little twitch that rippled the smooth surface of her cheek.
Fiction book (1991) -
Vaughn Rhomer had felt a twitch in his right cheek muscle and changed the subject.
Fiction book (1993) -
During the presentation, she couldn't stop the twitch in her neck caused by her nerves.
-
His eye had a constant twitch that made it hard for him to maintain eye contact.
-
The stress of the situation led to a minor twitch in her hand as she spoke.
Synonyms
47
2.2
A sudden sharp movement or pull
11
3.4
A sudden tight movement of a muscle that hurts or feels uncomfortable
4
4.3
A quick, sudden movement of a muscle you cannot control, often in an eyelid
1
9.9
A sudden muscle twitch you cannot control
1
9.9
A small quick muscle twitch you can see under the skin
1
9.9
Small muscle twitches that happen without you meaning to, often in the eyelid or face
A small sudden muscle twitch you cannot control
How Strong
Surface Forms
Etymology
Twitch comes from an old word meaning 'to pull' or 'to pluck'. That image of a quick little pull helps: a twitch is a sudden, small muscle movement.