Twin

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Twin, a. [OE. twin double, AS. getwinne two and two, pl., twins; akin to D. tweeling a twin, G. zwilling, OHG. zwiniling, Icel. tvennr, tvinnr, two and two, twin, and to AS. twi- two. See Twice, Two.].

•  Being one of two born at a birth; as, a twin brother or sister.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  Double; consisting of two similar and corresponding parts.  [1913 Webster]
•  Composed of parts united according to some definite law of twinning. See Twin, n., 4.  [1913 Webster]

Twin boat, or Twin ship (Naut.), a vessel whose deck and upper works rest on two parallel hulls. -- Twin crystal. See Twin, n., 4. -- Twin flower (Bot.), a delicate evergreen plant (Linnæa borealis) of northern climates, which has pretty, fragrant, pendulous flowers borne in pairs on a slender stalk. -- Twin-screw steamer, a steam vessel propelled by two screws, one on either side of the plane of the keel.

Twin, n. 

•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  A sign and constellation of the zodiac; Gemini. See Gemini.  [1913 Webster]
•  A person or thing that closely resembles another.  [1913 Webster]
•  A compound crystal composed of two or more crystals, or parts of crystals, in reversed position with reference to each other.  [1913 Webster]

  " The relative position of the parts of a twin may be explained by supposing one part to be revolved 180twinning axis), this axis being normal to a plane (called the twinning plane) which is usually one of the fundamental planes of the crystal. This revolution brings the two parts into parallel position, or vice versa. A contact twin is one in which the parts are united by a plane surface, called the composition face, which is usually the same as the twinning plane. A penetration twin is one in which the parts interpenetrate each other, often very irregularly. Twins are also called, according to form, cruciform, geniculated, etc."  [1913 Webster]

Twin, v. i. 

•  To bring forth twins.  Tusser.  [1913 Webster]
•  To be born at the same birth.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

Twin, v. t. 

•  To cause to be twins, or like twins in any way.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  "Still we moved
  Together, twinned, as horse's ear and eye."  [1913 Webster]
•  To separate into two parts; to part; to divide; hence, to remove; also, to strip; to rob.  [1913 Webster]

  "The life out of her body for to twin."  [1913 Webster]

Twin, v. i. 

 To depart from a place or thing.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Twin, n., adj., & v.
--n.
1 each of a closely related or associated pair, esp. of children or animals born at a birth.
2 the exact counterpart of a person or thing.
3 a compound crystal one part of which is in a reversed position with reference to the other.
4 (the Twins) the zodiacal sign or constellation Gemini.
--adj.
1 forming, or being one of, such a pair (twin brothers).
2 Bot. growing in pairs.
3 consisting of two closely connected and similar parts.
--v. (twinned, twinning)
1 tr. & intr. a join intimately together. b (foll. by with) pair.
2 intr. bear twins.
3 intr. grow as a twin crystal.
4 intr. & tr. Brit. link or cause (a town) to link with one in a different country, for the purposes of friendship and cultural exchange.

Idiom

twin bed each of a pair of single beds. twin-engined having two engines. twin-screw (of a ship) having two propellers on separate shafts with opposite twists. twin set esp. Brit. a woman's matching cardigan and jumper. twin town Brit. a town which is twinned with another.

Derivative

twinning n.

Etymology

OE twinn double, f. twi- two: cf. ON tvinnr

THESAURUS

Twin

Doppelganger, Janus-like, accessory, accompanying, actual thing, alike, all one, all the same, ally, alter ego, ambidextrous, analogon, analogous, analogue, associate, associated, attendant, attending, bifacial, bifold, biform, bifurcated, bilateral, binary, binate, biparous, bipartisan, bipartite, bivalent, brother, carbon copy, clone, close copy, close match, coequal, cognate, coincident, collateral, combine, combined, companion, comparable, compeer, complement, concomitant, concurrent, conduplicate, congenator, congener, conjoint, connect, consubstantial, coordinate, copy, correlate, correlative, correspondent, corresponding, counterpart, couple, coupled, dead ringer, dichotomous, disomatous, ditto, double, double-faced, duadic, dual, dualistic, dupe, duple, duplex, duplicate, duplicated, dyadic, effigy, equal, equipollent, equivalent, exact counterpart, exact likeness, exactly alike, facsimile, fellow, geminate, geminated, homograph, homonym, homoousian, homophone, icon, idem, identic, identical, identical same, idol, image, indistinguishable, ingeminate, join, joined, joint, just alike, kindred spirit, like, likeness, link, living image, living picture, match, matched, matching, mate, miniature, mirroring, model, multiply by two, mutual, near duplicate, no other, none other, obverse, of a kind, of a piece, of a size, one, opposite number, pair, paired, parallel, paralleling, peer, pendant, photograph, picture, portrait, reciprocal, redouble, reduplicate, reflection, repeat, replica, replicate, reproduce, resemblance, ringer, rival, rubbing, same, second, second self, secondary, selfsame, semblance, shadow, similar, similitude, simulacrum, simultaneous, sister, soul mate, spit and image, spitting image, such, suchlike, synonym, tally, the like of, the likes of, the same, the same difference, trace, tracing, twain, twinned, two, two-faced, two-level, two-ply, two-sided, two-story, twofold, undifferent, very image, very picture, very same, without difference, without distinction, yoke

ROGET THESAURUS

Twin

Similarity

N similarity, resemblance, likeness, similitude, semblance, affinity, approximation, parallelism, agreement, analogy, analogicalness, correspondence, homoiousia, parity, connaturalness, connaturality, brotherhood, family likeness, alliteration, rhyme, pun, repetition, sameness, uniformity, isogamy, analogue, the like, match, pendant, fellow companion, pair, mate, twin, double, counterpart, brother, sister, one's second self, alter ego, chip of the old block, par nobile fratrum, Arcades ambo, birds of a feather, et hoc genus omne, gens de meme famille, parallel, simile, type, image, photograph, close resemblance, striking resemblance, speaking resemblance, faithful likeness, faithful resemblance, similar, resembling, like, alike, twin, analogous, analogical, parallel, of a piece, such as, so, homoiousian, connatural, congener, allied to, akin to, approximate, much the same, near, close, something like, sort of, in the ballpark, such like, a show of, mock, pseudo, simulating, representing, exact, lifelike, faithful, true to nature, true to life, the very image, the very picture of, for all the world like, comme deux gouttes d'eau, as like as two peas in a pod, as like as it can stare, instar omnium, cast in the same mold, ridiculously like, as if, so to speak, as it were, as if it were, quasi, just as, veluti in speculum, et sic de similibus, tel maitre tel valet, tel pere tel fils, like master, like servant, like father, like son, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, a chip off the old block, similarity, resemblance, likeness, similitude, semblance, affinity, approximation, parallelism, agreement, analogy, analogicalness, correspondence, homoiousia, parity, connaturalness, connaturality, brotherhood, family likeness, alliteration, rhyme, pun, repetition, sameness, uniformity, isogamy, analogue, the like, match, pendant, fellow companion, pair, mate, twin, double, counterpart, brother, sister, one's second self, alter ego, chip of the old block, par nobile fratrum, Arcades ambo, birds of a feather, et hoc genus omne, gens de meme famille, parallel, simile, type, image, photograph, close resemblance, striking resemblance, speaking resemblance, faithful likeness, faithful resemblance, similar, resembling, like, alike, twin, analogous, analogical, parallel, of a piece, such as, so, homoiousian, connatural, congener, allied to, akin to, approximate, much the same, near, close, something like, sort of, in the ballpark, such like, a show of, mock, pseudo, simulating, representing, exact, lifelike, faithful, true to nature, true to life, the very image, the very picture of, for all the world like, comme deux gouttes d'eau, as like as two peas in a pod, as like as it can stare, instar omnium, cast in the same mold, ridiculously like, as if, so to speak, as it were, as if it were, quasi, just as, veluti in speculum, et sic de similibus, tel maitre tel valet, tel pere tel fils, like master, like servant, like father, like son, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, a chip off the old block.

Accompaniment

N accompaniment, adjunct, context, appendage, appurtenance, coexistence, concomitance, company, association, companionship, partnership, copartnership, coefficiency, concomitant, accessory, coefficient, companion, buddy, attendant, fellow, associate, friend, colleague, consort, spouse, mate, partner, co-partner, satellite, hanger on, fellow-traveller, shadow, escort, cortege, attribute, accompanying, concomitant, fellow, twin, joint, associated with, coupled with, accessory, attendant, obbligato, with, withal, together with, along with, in company with, hand in hand, side by side, cheek by jowl, cheek by jole, arm in arm, therewith, herewith, and, together, in a body, collectively, noscitur a sociis, virtutis fortuna comes.

Duality

N duality, dualism, duplicity, biplicity, biformity, polarity, two, deuce, couple, duet, brace, pair, cheeks, twins, Castor and Pollux, gemini, Siamese twins, fellows, yoke, conjugation, dispermy, doublets, dyad, span, two, twin, dual, dualistic, double, binary, binomial, twin, biparous, dyadic, conduplicate, duplex, biduous, binate, diphyletic, dispermic, unijugate, tete-a-tete, coupled, conjugate, both, both the one and the other, duality, dualism, duplicity, biplicity, biformity, polarity, two, deuce, couple, duet, brace, pair, cheeks, twins, Castor and Pollux, gemini, Siamese twins, fellows, yoke, conjugation, dispermy, doublets, dyad, span, two, twin, dual, dualistic, double, binary, binomial, twin, biparous, dyadic, conduplicate, duplex, biduous, binate, diphyletic, dispermic, unijugate, tete-a-tete, coupled, conjugate, both, both the one and the other.

Duplication

N duplication, doubling, gemination, ingemination, reduplication, iteration, renewal, double, doubled, bicipital, bicephalous, bidental, bilabiate, bivalve, bivalvular, bifold, biform, bilateral, bifarious, bifacial, twofold, two-sided, disomatous, duplex, double-faced, double-headed, twin, duplicate, ingeminate, second, twice, once more, over again, as much again, twofold, secondly, in the second place, again.