Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1809-1817
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TWITCH, v., n. Sc. usages:
I. v. 1. To fasten tightly together. Also in n.Eng. dial.s.Sc. 1809 T. Donaldson Poems 191:
The shoon indeed did leuk fu' weel, Ye'd twitcht them weel thegether.
2. In deriv. twitcher, an instrument for twisting straw-ropes (Mry. 1961 Gwerin III. 211). This however may be a corrupt form of twister s.v. Twist, v., 1.
II. n. In phr. in a twitch, in an instant. Obs. or dial. in Eng.s.Sc. 1809 T. Donaldson Poems 111:
Gin ye get at him i' a twitch Ye'll burn his tongue.Per. 1817 A. Buchanan Rural Poetry 10:
I wad . . . mak a fortune in a twitch.
