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twit - What does it mean?

Definition of 'twit'

English

Verb

(twitt)
  • To reproach, blame; to ridicule or tease.
  • * 1590 , Shakespeare. History of Henry VI , Part II, Act III, Scene I
    • "Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here
    With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd,
    As if she had suborned some to swear
    False allegations to o'erthrow his state? " -
  • * 1955 , edition, ISBN 0553249592, page 106:
    • Mr. Cramer, a policeman, came this morning and twitted me for having let a murderer hoodwink me.
  • * 2007 , Bernard Porter, "Did He Puff his Crimes to Please a Bloodthirsty Readership?", review of Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa’s Greatest Explorer'' by Tim Jeal, ''London Review of Books , 5 April, 29:7, p. 10
    • H. R. Fox Bourne, secretary of the Aborigines' Protection Society – often twitted for being an ‘armchair critic’ – wrote in a review of one of Stanley's books
  • * Tillotson
    • This these scoffers twitted the Christian with.
  • * L'Estrange
    • Aesop minds men of their errors, without twitting them for what is amiss.
  • (computing) To ignore or killfile (a user on a bulletin board system).
  • * 1995 , "Michelle Jackson", Debutante/Question about Tori Shirts'' (on newsgroup ''rec.music.tori-amos )
    • However, on the Internet BBS's such as Quartz (now dead), Prism, Monsoon, Sunset, ect(SIC), someone pulling that kind of crap is likely to get flamed quite fast and twitted before he/she can breathe.
  • * 2002 , "Chris Hoppman", FidoNet Feed Needed'' (on newsgroup ''alt.bbs )
    • And no, there is no "thought purification program" that can filter out some folks(SIC) obscene ideas that can be expressed w/o written vulgarities. That has to be simply "dealt" with, either by ignoring or twitting the individual that offends habitually.

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A reproach, gibe or taunt.
  • A foolish or annoying person.
  • * (rfdate) (Larry Kramer), Just Say No
    • What do you mean, since when did I become such a radical fairy? Since I started knowing twits' like you, you ' twit !

    Usage notes

    In the UK and UK English-speaking areas, usually used in a humorous or affectionate manner.

    Derived terms

    * (l)

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Similar to 'twit'

    that, tout, tit, tot, teat, twat, tat, toot, tut, taut, tweet, tatt, tuit, teet, thowt, tait, thatt, toat, twdt, thawt, thot