1. Form into a bent, curling or spiral shape
   "The cord is all twisted";
   - twine, distort
    
2. Turn one end while keeping another end fixed or turning in the opposite direction
   "twist one's head"
    
3. Move in a twisting or contorted motion (esp. when struggling)
   "The prisoner twisted in discomfort";
   - writhe, wrestle, wriggle, worm, squirm
    
4. Cause (an object) to assume a crooked or angular form
   "twist the dough into a braid";
   - flex, bend, deform, turn
    
5. Form into twists
   "Twist the strips of dough"
    
6. Extend in curves and turns
   "the path twisted through the forest";
   - wind[2], curve
    
7. Twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates
   "twist a window off its hinges";
   - wrench
    
8. Twist suddenly so as to sprain
   "The wrestler twisted his shoulder";
   - sprain, wrench, turn, wrick, rick
    
9. Practice sophistry; change the meaning of or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive
   "Don't twist my words";
   - twist around, pervert, convolute, sophisticate [archaic]
    
10. Do the twist
    "They were twisting all night at the dance party"

1. The act of winding or twisting
   "he put the key in the old clock and gave it a good twist";
   - wind[2], winding
    
2. Turning or twisting around (in place)
   "with a quick twist of his head he surveyed the room";
   - turn
    
3. A sharp bend in a line produced when a line having a loop is pulled tight
   "She put a twist in her hair";
   - kink, twirl
    
4. A circular segment of a curve
   "a twist in the road";
   - bend, crook, turn
    
5. An unforeseen development
   "events suddenly took an awkward twist";
   - turn, turn of events
    
6. An interpretation of a text or action
   "they put an unsympathetic twist on his conduct";
   - construction
    
7. The act of rotating rapidly
   "he gave the crank a twist";
   - spin, twirl, whirl
    
8. A sharp strain on muscles or ligaments
   "the twist to his knee occurred as he fell";
   - wrench, pull
    
9. A jerky pulling movement
   "He felt a sharp twist in his ankle as he stepped off the curb";
   - wrench
    
10. A miniature whirlpool or whirlwind resulting when the current of a fluid doubles back on itself
    "Leaves were caught in a twist of wind";
    - eddy
     
11. Social dancing in which couples vigorously twist their hips and arms in time to the music; was popular in the 1960s
    "they liked to dance the twist"
     
12. A hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
    "She wore her hair in elegant twists for the wedding";
    - braid, plait, tress

Derived forms: twisting, twists, twisted

Type of: bend, change form, change shape, coif, coiffure, crease, crimp, current, curve, curved shape, dance, deform, denote, development, do [informal], extend, flexure, fold, form, go, hair style, hairdo [informal], hairstyle, harm, hurt, injure, injury, interpretation, lead, motion, move, movement, pass, plication, pull, refer, rotary motion, rotation, run, shape, social dancing, stream, trauma, trip the light fantastic [archaic], trip the light fantastic toe [archaic], turn, wound

Encyclopedia: Twist, Joseph