twain
numeraladjectivenounverbattested in dialogue
- //tweɪn//
- /[tʰw̥eɪn]/
Pair, couple.
numeral
- 1
datedtwo
But the warm twilight round us twain will never rise again.
Bring me these twain cups of wine and water, and let us drink from the one we feel more befitting of this day.
Since I haue your good leaue to goe away, I will make haſt; but till I come againe, No bed ſhall ere be guilty of my ſtay, Nor reſt be interpoſer twixt vs twaine.
A month or twain to live on honeycomb Is pleasant;
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Germanic *twai Proto-West Germanic *twai-der. Old English twēġen Middle English tweyne English twain PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English tweyne, tweien, twaine, from Old English twēġen m (“two”), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognate with Saterland Frisian twäin, Low German twene, German zween. More at two. The word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of two, then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.
adjective
- 1
raretwofold
noun
- 1
Pair, couple.
The susceptible twain, on the search for adventure, dropped in.
The twain immediately proffered their companionship. ‘I will come with you,’ said Mr Lessingham. ‘And I,’ echoed Sydney.
verb
- 1
To part in twain; divide; sunder.
Etymology
From Middle English twaynen, from twayne (“two”, numeral) (see Etymology 1 above).
Forms
- plural
- twains
- past tense
- twained
- past participle
- twained
- present participle
- twaining
- third person singular
- twains