TWITCHINESS

twitch |twi ch | verb 1 give or cause to give a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement : [ intrans. ] he saw her lips twitch and her eyelids flutter | [ trans. ] the dog twitched his ears. • [ trans. ] cause to move in a specified direction by giving a sharp pull : he twitched a cigarette out of a packet. 2 [ trans. ] apply a sudden pull or jerk to (a horse). noun 1 a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement : his mouth gave a slight twitch. • a sudden pull or jerk : he gave a twitch at his mustache. • a sudden sharp sensation; a pang : he felt a twitch of annoyance. 2 a stick with a small noose attached to one end. The noose may be twisted around the upper lip or the ear of a horse to subdue it, esp. during veterinary procedures. ORIGIN Middle English : of Germanic origin; related to Old English twiccian [to pluck, pull sharply.]