twist
twist — verb
1. to turn something using your hand, or to move or wrap something in a circular wa
to turn something using your hand, or to move or wrap something in a circular way around another object, often changing its shape or position.
Adisa twisted the thin wire around the fence post to fix the broken gate.
twist + object + around + object
Sivan twisted her long hair into a tight bun before swimming practice.
twist + hair + into + shape
The narrow path twisted up the rocky hillside behind the old church.
Kian twisted the metal lid off the jar with both hands.
The baker twisted two pieces of dough together before baking the bread.
- straighten
to make something straight that was twisted
文法句型
twist + object + preposition + object
twist + object + adverb
subject + twist + direction/route (intransitive)
用法筆記
Commonly used with prepositions like 'around', 'into', 'off', and 'together' to describe how the object is placed or changed.
常見錯誤
2. to hurt a joint or muscle by bending or turning it suddenly and awkwardly, causi
to hurt a joint or muscle by bending or turning it suddenly and awkwardly, causing pain or swelling.
Rohan twisted his ankle while running down the stairs at school.
twist + body part (ankle)
Apinya twisted her knee during the first few minutes of the basketball game.
Piotr twisted his wrist when he caught the heavy falling box at work.
Shirin twisted her back while helping her father lift the old wooden sofa.
The doctor warned that Beatrix might twist her shoulder again if she kept swimming.
文法句型
twist + body part (ankle/knee/wrist/back)
用法筆記
Most often used with ankle, knee, wrist, and back. This sense describes an accidental injury, not a deliberate movement.
常見錯誤
3. to say that facts or someone's words mean something different from what they act
to say that facts or someone's words mean something different from what they actually mean, often in order to trick people.
The journalist twisted the facts to make the story sound more dramatic.
twist + the facts
Mauricio accused the newspaper of twisting his words in the interview.
twist + someone's words
Chidi warned his younger sister not to twist the truth about what happened.
Yumi felt angry when the report twisted her comments about the new policy.
- distort
slightly more formal; can apply to physical shape or information
- misrepresent
more formal; focuses on giving a false account
- bend
informal; 'bend the rules' is a common phrase
- clarify
to make something clearer and more accurate
文法句型
twist + facts/words/truth/the story
用法筆記
Always negative in meaning — used to describe dishonest communication. Common objects are 'facts', 'words', 'truth', and 'story'.
常見錯誤
twist — noun
1. a turning movement made with your hand, wrist, or body, especially one used to o
a turning movement made with your hand, wrist, or body, especially one used to open, close, or change the position of something.
Christopher opened the jam jar with a sharp twist of his wrist.
a twist of + body part
The dancer finished her routine with one final twist of her hips.
A quick twist of the handle released the lock on the old wooden door.
With one more twist, the mechanic removed the broken light bulb from its socket.
文法句型
a + twist + of + body part/object
with a + twist + of + body part
2. an object or part of an object that has been bent, wound, or turned into a coile
an object or part of an object that has been bent, wound, or turned into a coiled or spiral form, such as in wire, rope, or hair.
The child made a twist of wire to hold the garden gate closed.
a twist of + material
Mauricio admired the tight twist of coloured thread on the bracelet.
Each twist in the rope made it stronger than a straight piece of cord.
The artist shaped a metal twist into a small decorative tree for the garden.
文法句型
a + twist + of + material
twist + in + object
用法筆記
Often describes the result of twisting — the visible spiral or curl in a material.
3. a place where a road, river, or path changes direction suddenly, forming a curve
a place where a road, river, or path changes direction suddenly, forming a curve or bend.
The driver slowed down as she approached the sharp twist in the mountain road.
sharp twist in the road
There is a dangerous twist near the bottom of the steep mountain pass.
The river takes a sudden twist just before the old stone bridge.
Hikers should be careful at the twist where the path turns sharply to the left.
文法句型
a + twist + in + (road/path/river)
sharp/dangerous + twist
4. a sports move, especially in diving or gymnastics, where the athlete rotates the
a sports move, especially in diving or gymnastics, where the athlete rotates the body sideways while up in the air.
The diver performed a perfect twist before entering the water without a splash.
perform a twist
The gymnastics judge gave high scores for the clean twist in the routine.
Beatrix practised the same twist for months before the national competition.
The young gymnast earned a medal for her clean twist off the balance beam.
文法句型
perform/do + a + twist
用法筆記
Primarily used in competitive diving and gymnastics. May be combined with other moves like flips or somersaults.
5. an unexpected development that changes how a story, real event, or situation pro
an unexpected development that changes how a story, real event, or situation proceeds, often catching people by surprise.
The novel has a surprising twist at the end of the very last chapter.
a surprising twist
Nobody in the audience expected the twist in the second half of the film.
The game took an unexpected twist when the underdog team scored the winning goal.
Readers love the twist that reveals the true identity of the main character.
- surprise
more general; a twist is a specific kind of surprising development
- turn of events
a phrase that describes a change in a situation, often less dramatic
- revelation
focuses on new information being revealed, often as part of a twist
文法句型
a + unexpected/surprising + twist
twist + in + (story/plot/film)
take + a + twist
用法筆記
Very common in discussions of fiction (novels, films, TV shows). Also used for real-life events that take a surprising direction.
常見錯誤
6. an unexpected development that makes a situation more difficult or complicated t
an unexpected development that makes a situation more difficult or complicated than it already was.
The legal case took another twist when a new witness came forward.
took another twist
The negotiation had a strange twist that surprised both sides of the table.
The investigation took a new twist when the detective found the hidden letter.
There was an unexpected twist in the plan that nobody could have predicted.
- complication
focuses on difficulty; a twist adds surprise as well
- turn
less dramatic; 'turn of events' is a neutral phrase
文法句型
take + a + twist
another + twist
用法筆記
Very similar to sense 5 (PLOT TWIST), but used for real-life complex situations rather than stories. Often describes legal cases, investigations, or negotiations.
7. a dance that was a craze in the 1960s, performed by twisting the hips and torso
a dance that was a craze in the 1960s, performed by twisting the hips and torso vigorously back and forth to upbeat music without moving the feet much.
My grandmother taught me how to do the twist at her birthday party.
do the twist
Everyone at the party was dancing the twist to the old vinyl records.
The twist became a popular dance all over the world during the nineteen sixties.
The twist was the first dance my father learned when he was a teenager.
文法句型
do/dance + the + twist
用法筆記
Always used with 'the' — 'the twist' names a specific dance, not a general movement.
常見錯誤
8. a hairstyle created by dividing hair into sections and twisting each section aro
a hairstyle created by dividing hair into sections and twisting each section around itself to form small rope-like coils.
Adisa spent two hours making perfect twists in her sister's thick hair.
make twists in hair
The hair salon offers several types of twists for different hair lengths.
Shirin learned how to do flat twists by watching tutorial videos online.
Chidi got her twists done at the salon before the family wedding ceremony.
- braid
different technique; involves crossing three or more strands instead of twisting two
文法句型
twists (plural) as a hairstyle
make/do + twists
用法筆記
Often used in the plural ('twists') when describing the hairstyle itself. 'Flat twists' and 'two-strand twists' are common variations.