Twitch (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Twitched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Twitching.] [OE. twicchen, fr. (doubtful) AS. twiccian; akin to AS. angeltwicca a worm used for bait, literally, a hook twitcher, LG. twikken to tweak, G. zwicken. Cf. Tweak.]
To pull with a sudden jerk; to pluck with a short, quick motion; to snatch; as, to twitch one by the sleeve; to twitch a thing out of another's hand; to twitch off clusters of grapes.
Thrice they twitched the diamond in her ear.
Pope.
© Webster 1913.
Twitch, n.
1.
The act of twitching; a pull with a jerk; a short, sudden, quick pull; as, a twitch by the sleeve.
2.
A short, spastic contraction of the fibers or muscles; a simple muscular contraction; as, convulsive twitches; a twitch in the side.
3. Far.
A stick with a hole in one end through which passes a loop, which can be drawn tightly over the upper lip or an ear of a horse. By twisting the stick the compression is made sufficiently painful to keep the animal quiet during a slight surgical operation.
J. H. Walsh.
© Webster 1913.