Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One of two offspring born at the same birth.
  • noun One of two identical or similar people, animals, or things; a counterpart.
  • noun Mineralogy Two interwoven crystals that are mirror images of each other.
  • noun A twin-size bed.
  • adjective Being two or one of two offspring born at the same birth.
  • adjective Being two or one of two identical or similar people, animals, or things.
  • adjective Botany Of or relating to structures, such as flowers, that occur in pairs.
  • adjective Consisting of two identical or similar parts.
  • intransitive verb To give birth to twins.
  • intransitive verb Archaic To be one of twin offspring.
  • intransitive verb To be paired or coupled.
  • intransitive verb To pair or couple.
  • intransitive verb To provide a match or counterpart to.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To cut or form in pairs by cutters or chisels.
  • To couple; pair; mate; join intimately or link together; said of two united or of one joined to another.
  • Specifically, in mineralogy, to form or unite into a compound or twin crystal by a reversal of the molecular structure according to some definite law.
  • To be coupled or paired; be mated, as one with another; specifically, to be twin-born.
  • To bring forth two at a birth.
  • To be parted in twain; be divided or sundered; come apart.
  • To part; depart; go away.
  • To be separated (from) or deprived (of): as, to twin with one's gear.
  • To part in twain; sever; sunder.
  • To part, as from another person or thing; separate; sunder; especially, to deprive.
  • Two; twain.
  • Consisting of two separate, closely related, and equal members; twofold; double; specifically, consisting of or forming twins or a pair: as, twin children.
  • One, each, or either of two; one of a pair, specifically of two born at a birth: as, a twin brother or sister.
  • In botany, growing in pairs; didymous.
  • Consisting of two chief parts alike, or nearly alike, and held firmly together: as, a twin bottle; a twin vase. The plural is used in the same sense: as, twin vases.
  • In entomology, geminate: applied to spots, punctures, spines, etc., which are close together in pairs, and distant from others.
  • noun Two; twain; a pair; a couple.
  • noun One of two; one of a pair or couple linked together by a particular tie or relation; the mate, counterpart, or fellow of another; specifically, one of two creatures produced at a birth: said of the young both of hitman beings and of beasts.
  • noun A compound crystal one part of which is in a reversed position with reference to the other, as if it had been revolved through 180° about an axis (twinning-axis) perpendicular to a plane which is called the twinning-plane, and is usually a fundamental plane of the given Crystal.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To bring forth twins.
  • intransitive verb To be born at the same birth.
  • adjective Being one of two born at a birth.
  • adjective Being one of a pair much resembling one another; standing in the relation of a twin to something else; -- often followed by to or with.
  • adjective (Bot.) Double; consisting of two similar and corresponding parts.
  • adjective (Crystallog.) Composed of parts united according to some definite law of twinning. See Twin, n., 4.
  • adjective (Naut.) a vessel whose deck and upper works rest on two parallel hulls.
  • adjective See Twin, n., 4.
  • adjective (Bot.) a delicate evergreen plant (Linnæa borealis) of northern climates, which has pretty, fragrant, pendulous flowers borne in pairs on a slender stalk.
  • adjective a steam vessel propelled by two screws, one on either side of the plane of the keel.
  • transitive verb To cause to be twins, or like twins in any way.
  • transitive verb obsolete To separate into two parts; to part; to divide; hence, to remove; also, to strip; to rob.
  • intransitive verb obsolete To depart from a place or thing.
  • noun One of two produced at a birth, especially by an animal that ordinarily brings forth but one at a birth; -- used chiefly in the plural, and applied to the young of beasts as well as to human young.
  • noun (Astron.) A sign and constellation of the zodiac; Gemini. See Gemini.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English twinn, twofold; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old English twinn, earlier ġetwinn, from Germanic.

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Examples

  • If one twin is autistic, it's twelve times more likely than the average rate that the other twin is autistic.

    An Interview with Barbara D'Amato about Death of a Thousand Cuts 2010

  • In fact, not only does the US government run an internal account deficit (1), or CAD, but the twin is at 700 billion USD a year!

    C'ville Real Estate Bubble? at cvillenews.com 2005

  • LIN: Jeanne, we are continuing to look at pictures of this devastating scene, according to Sean Murtagh, vice president of finance, who witnessed what he described as a twin-engine plane, possibly a 737. e was almost absolutely sure it was a large passenger jet that went into that.

    CNN Transcript Sep 11, 2001 2001

  • LIN: For our viewers who are just tuning in right now, you are looking at live picture of the World Trade Center tower, where, according to eyewitness Sean Murtagh -- he is the vice president of finance and eyewitness to what he describes as a twin-engine plane -- or possibly a 737 passenger jet -- flying into the World Trade Center.

    CNN Transcript Sep 11, 2001 2001

  • We have endorsed what they call the twin-track proposal by the two governments in Northern Ireland, which is basically a proposal to have prepatory talks of varying levels move forward at the same time that there would be an international body to address the issue of arms that has become an obstacle to moving towards all party talks.

    Background Briefing On President Trip To Ireland ITY National Archives 1995

  • Jackson said the deal was perhaps the last, best opportunity to address "critical issues" in global communications, which he called the twin national challenges of "creating jobs and helping to connect every American, especially people of color, to vitally needed news, information and broadband internet services."

    B&C - Advertising News 2010

  • One twin is smaller with little amniotic fluid around it and is called the "donor" twin.

    Glossary 2010

  • The other twin is larger and has too much amniotic fluid around it and is called the "recipient" twin.

    Glossary 2010

  • There has been tremendous advancement in twin cams models but the single cam is still the easiest bow to keep shooting tight groups long term.

    Okay yesterday I shot a compound bow for the first time and now I'm thinking I'd like to get one to practice with (before taking 2010

  • My ugly twin is laughing that people who have not filed tax for years (avoiding repayment of HECS) will be spewy and resentful

    single gal seeks stimulation Another Outspoken Female 2009

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