Forms: 1 twengan (twæng-), 3 twenge, 3–4 tuenge, 5 twynch, 7 twindge, 7– twinge. [OE. twengan, of obscure etymology; there is no evidence of connection with Continental forms from the stem þwing- denoting ‘to constrain, oppress, etc.’]
1. trans. To pinch, wring, tweak, twitch. Also intr. (quot. 1858). Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1000. in Techmer’s Internat. Zeitschr., II. 124/23. Twenge hine siððan mid þara swiþran hande. Ibid., 125/19. Wænd þinne scytefinger adune and twængc hine mid þinum twam fingrum.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 156. Þu hauest clyures swiþe stronge Þu twengest þar mid so doþ a tonge. Ibid., 1114. An holeh stoc hwar þu þe mist hude Þat me ne twenge þine hude.
c. 1305. St. Dunstan, 81, in E. E. P. (1862), 36. Þe deuel he hente bi þe nose: He tuengde and schok hire bi þe nose.
1440. J. Shirley, Dethe K. James (1818), 26. The tourmentours … withe hookid ynstrumentes of yryne,… pynchid and twynchid his theghis, his legges…and over all his body.
1607. Beaumont, Woman Hater, II. i. I doe use to tear their hair, to kick them, and twindge their noses, if they be not carefull in avoiding me.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., King & No K., V. i. Thus twinge your nose, thus kick, thus tread upon you.
1628. A. Leighton, Zion’s Plea, x. (1842), 195. There are too many flesh-flies, who … twinge and bite such as do deal faithfully with Princes.
1630. B. Jonson, New Inn, I. i. To … twinge three or four buttons From off my lady’s gown.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. I. 1155. Twindging him by th’ Ears or Nose.
1858. Kingsley, Winter Gard., in Misc., I. 146. That flock of long-tailed tit-mice, which were twinging and pecking about the fir-cones.
2. † To cause to smart or tingle; to irritate (obs.); to affect (the body or mind) with a twinge or sharp pain; to prick (the conscience).
1647. [see twinging below.]
1666. Bunyan, Grace Ab., § 184. Nothing did twinge my Conscience like this.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 114. A willingness to be rid of those gallers that twinge the brain of the stiff maintainer of this.
1686. F. Spence, trans. Varillas’ Ho. Medicis, 431. Leo … twing’d him sometimes with severe corrections.
1727. Gay, Fables, I. xxxi. 7. As, twing’d with pain, he pensive sits, And raves, and prays, and swears by fits.
1780. S. J. Pratt, Emma Corbett (ed. 4), II. 71. His old aches would twinge him a little.
1785. E. Perronet, Occas. Verses, Acrostic, 203. His mission … Like that dumb brute’s, that twing’d a prophet’s ear.
1801. Mar. Edgeworth, Out of Debt, i. If any of his father’s old notions of economy by chance twinged his conscience.
1815. Scott, Paul’s Lett. (1839), 173. The Bishop of Ghent … has found his conscience alarmingly twinged.
1893. D. C. Murray, Time’s Revenges, II. xxviii. 208. The old wound twinged him.
b. intr. To experience a twinge or smart.
1640. Glapthorne, Wit in Constable, IV. To have your nose Twinge if ours’ chance to itch.
1757. E. Perronet, Mitre, IV. xiii. Shudder ye sires—twinge ev’ry ear.
1850. Sir A. Agnew, in McCrie, Mem., viii. (1852), 199. Reflection arising and conscience twinging.
1868. [see twinging below].
Hence Twinging vbl. sb.1 and ppl. a.; also Twinger, one who or that which twinges.
1608. Day, Law Trickes, II. C ij. One Tristella … a twindger, a meere Horsleach, one that will suck out the braines of his treasurie.
1621. B. Jonson, Gipsies Metam., Wks. (Rtldg.), 625/2. There’s an old twinger Can shew ye the ginger.
1647. Sprigge, Anglia Rediv., Address (1854), p. vii. Twinging convulsions.
1659. Tatham, London’s Triumph, 14. Ginger, That Nose tosting twinger.
1682. Bunyan, Greatness of Soul, Wks. (ed. Offor), I. 120. Despair, which is the most twinging stripe of hell.
1816. J. Wilson, City of Plague, II. iii. 219. Felt you no little twinging of remorse?
1868. Geo. Eliot, Sp. Gipsy, I. (1908), 27. I’ve a twinging knee.
1906. Daily Chron., 29 March, 6/4. How would he wear … with a twingeing tooth and an influenza cold?
