tweak

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

tweak, v. t. [OE. twikken, originally the same word as twicchen; cf. LG. twikken. See Twitch.].

 To pinch and pull with a sudden jerk and twist; to twitch; as, to tweak the nose.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

tweak, n. 

•  A sharp pinch or jerk; a twist or twitch; as, a tweak of the nose.  Swift.  [1913 Webster]
•  Trouble; distress; tweag.  [1913 Webster]
•  A prostitute.  Brathwait.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tweak, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 pinch and twist sharply; pull with a sharp jerk; twitch.
2 make fine adjustments to (a mechanism).
--n. an instance of tweaking.

Etymology

prob. alt. of dial. twick & TWITCH(1)

THESAURUS

tweak

acute pain, afflict, agonize, ail, bite, bob, boring pain, burn, chafe, charley horse, clamp, clamping, clamping down, compress, compression, convulse, cramp, cramps, crick, crucify, crush, cut, darting pain, distress, ensphere, excruciate, fester, flick, flip, flirt, flounce, fret, fulgurant pain, gall, girdle pain, give pain, gnaw, gnawing, grate, grind, grip, gripe, griping, harrow, hitch, hurt, inflame, inflict pain, irritate, jerk, jig, jigger, jigget, jiggle, jog, joggle, jumping pain, kill by inches, kink, lacerate, lancinating pain, martyr, martyrize, nip, pain, pang, paroxysm, pierce, pinch, pluck, press, pressure, prick, prolong the agony, put to torture, rack, rankle, rasp, rub, seizure, sharp pain, shoot, shooting, shooting pain, snake, snatch, spasm, squeeze, squeezing, stab, stabbing pain, start, sting, stitch, sudden pull, thrill, throes, tighten, tightening, tormen, torment, torture, twinge, twist, twitch, wad up, wound, wrench, wring, yank, yerk

ROGET THESAURUS

tweak

Physical Pain

VB feel pain, experience pain, suffer pain, undergo pain, suffer, ache, smart, bleed, tingle, shoot, twinge, twitch, lancinate, writhe, wince, make a wry face, sit on thorns, sit on pins and needles, give pain, inflict pain, lacerate, pain, hurt, chafe, sting, bite, gnaw, gripe, pinch, tweak, grate, gall, fret, prick, pierce, wring, convulse, torment, torture, rack, agonize, crucify, cruciate, excruciate, break on the wheel, put to the rack, flog, grate on the ear.