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in twain. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
in twain, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in twain in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
in twain you have here. The definition of the word
in twain will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
in twain, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Middle English in tweyn, in twen, in tweyne (also as on tweyne). Compare Old English on twēġen (“in two”).
Prepositional phrase
in twain
- (archaic) In two, in halves, into two parts, asunder
- When the masked stranger hew with his axe, the baker's head did split in twain and his body fell like a lump to the ground in turn.
- 1697, trans. John Dryden, Virgil, Georgics, book IV, lines 202–205:
And when cold Winter ſplit the Rocks in twain,
And Ice the running Rivers did reſtrain,
He ſtripp’d the Bears-foot of its leafy Growth,
And calling weſtern Winds, accus’d the Spring of Sloth.
1913, Warren Wood, When Virginia was Rent in Twain:It was an anomalous situation. Precedents, there were none. No state ever before had been rent in twain.
- 2003, Bill Odenkirk (writer), Kif Kroker in “Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch”, Futurama, season 4, episode 1:
[…] shortly, it will rend my loins in twain, burst forth, and pull us down, down, down into the deep, dark waters of commitment.
Synonyms
Translations
References
- “in twain”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- “twain”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.