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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TWINE, n.1, v.1, adv. Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. In Sc. and U.S. commonly used for Eng. string (Sc. 1916 N.E.D.). Gen.Sc.

2. Fig.: (1) a contortion of the body, an affected posture.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 58:
Bowden'd wi' pride, he learns a certain twine.

(2) a short attack of any kind of ailment, e.g. a twine o' sair teeth (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 201); weakness resulting from an illness (Id.).Ags. 1833 J. S. Sands Poems 39:
Twines o' the gripes and the cholic.

(3) the swell or surge of the sea round rocks (Abd. 1973).

3. Hard labour, exertion, a strenuous job. Phr. ¶in twine, of a woman: in childbirth.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 201:
They got an unco twine at the cuttan o' the laid corn.
Sc. 1879 P. H. Waddell Isaiah xlii. 14:
Like's a mither in twine, I sal skreigh.

4. A twist or turn of fortune, a vicissitude. Also in n.Eng. dial.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 137:
An' vain may I be now, when a' that's past, By unko twines has fa'en sae well at last.

II. v. A. Forms: Pr.t. twine; pa.t. weak twined (Gen.Sc.); strong twan (Sc. c.1764 Burd Ellen in Child Ballads No. 28. ii.; Abd. 1882 W. Forsyth Selections 13).

B. Usages: 1. As in Eng., to twist or spin (thread, cord, rope, esp. straw-rope, etc.) (I. and n.Sc. 1973); to weave.Sc. 1787 Sc. Musical Museum I. 32:
Twine it weel, the plaiden.
Gall. 1832 J. Denniston Craignilder 76:
Twine winning sheets for gallant chiels.
Sh. 1898 Shetland News (2 July):
This twisting together of the strands, called ‘twining,' is the most wearisome part of the spinning.
Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains & Hilly 170:
We hid to twine rapes for a twa-three oors on eyn. Aw likeit fine to twine a fyle.

Combs. and deriv.: (1) twine off, to compose (a piece of writing), to spin off (a story, etc.); (2) twine-cruik, an instrument for making straw-ropes, a rope-twister, a thraw-cruik (Rs. 1961 Gwerin III. 213); (3) twiner, (i) id. (Ib. 211). Also in Nhb. dial.; (ii) one who twists spun woollen yarn into a thicker thread, now a machine operation; the machine which does this. Also in Eng. local usage; (4) twine out, to spin out (a tale, etc.), prolong, protract.(1) Sc. 1817 Scott Letters (Cent. Ed.) IV. 440:
Considering what I have twined off hitherto.
Sc. 1828 Scott Letters (Cent. Ed.) XI. 29:
I have also twined off a world of not bad balaam in the way of notes, &c. for my Magnum.
(3) (ii) Rxb. 1864 A. Jeffrey Hist. Rxb. IV. 117:
In 1810 the twiner was invented by William Johnstone, Galashiels.
Rxb. 1868 Hawick Advertiser (18 April) 3:
There are about 30 twiners in our works. There were other twiners working at the same kind of yarn.
Slk. 1917 Border Standard (9 June) 3:
He was a twiner in Netherdale Mill.
(4) Lnk. 1806 J. Black Falls of Clyde 108:
When I thought to hear A grace like yours, twin'd out for ha'f a year.
s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell Psalms lxxxv. 5:
Wult thou twyne owt thine angir til a' genaeratians?

2. To spin (a yarn) fig., to put forward a case or idea in a certain way.Edb. 1897 W. Beatty Secretar xxxiv.:
‘Jean, there's a chance for ye, and only one,' for that was the way I twined it to her.

3. Fig., tr. and intr. To join, link, unite.Abd. 1845 P. Still Cottar's Sunday 182:
Aff they went to bid Mess John Twine the marriage tether.
Dmb. 1868 J. Salmon Gowodean 36:
Sib by our sires, and twice in marriage twined.
e.Lth. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 150:
Ye'll ne'er reproach the day ye twine Wi' Ailie in the marriage knot.

4. tr.To twist, screw; intr.to twist the body, to wriggle, writhe (n.Sc., Wgt. 1973). Obs. exc. dial. in Eng.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 33:
As twining o'er the clanking flail, I sweltering fought the hours away.
Per. a.1837 R. Nicoll Poems (1914) 283:
To twine his mou', an', gasping speak.
Gsw. 1885 Gsw. Ballad Club 213:
Twine out his lugs, root out his tongue.
Ags. 1887 A.D. Willock Rosetty Ends 84:
Geordie twistit an' twined as if he was daft.
Wgt. 1877 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 290:
The wean twining and kicking.

5. To put (a person) to the utmost stretch in working, to be at the utmost stretch (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 201); to chastise (Abd. 1825 Jam.); to walk with great difficulty (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 201); with at: to work with effort and perseverance at (Cai. 1907 County Cai. (Horne) 87, Cai. 1975).

6. To turn over (the furrow) in ploughing with a twisting motion. Cf. Tweel, n., v.Ayr. 1928 J. S. Gall Muses 10:
The grass weel twin'd an' oot o' sicht.

7. To grumble, grouse (Dmf., Rxb. 1973).

III. adv. With great difficulty (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 201).

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"Twine n.1, v.1, adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/twine_n1_v1_adv>

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