twist
gb/twˈɪst/ us/twˈɪst/
B1
English
~ 7900
csavar, teker, fordulat, cselekményfordulat, csavarodás, kanyar, megrándít, kimegy valakinek a bokája, megrándul, elferdít, kiforgat, citrushéjspirál, twist
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
to twist [something]
She twisted the lid until the jar finally opened.
Addig csavarta a befőttesüveg tetejét, amíg az végre ki nem nyílt.
He twisted the rope into a tight loop and hung the bucket from it.
Szoros hurkot csavart a kötélből, és arra akasztotta a vödröt.
The dancer twisted her body gracefully and reached for the floor.
Twist the handle gently to open the old door.
He nervously twisted his wedding ring around his finger.
Learner examples
Please twist the cap so the bottle will open.
Kérlek, csavard le a kupakot, hogy ki lehessen nyitni az üveget.
She twisted the towel to get the water out.
Kicsavarta a törülközőt, hogy kijöjjön belőle a víz.
The child twisted the wire into a little circle.
He twisted his hair into a small bun.
Twist the knob to the left to turn it on.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'twist' instead of 'turn' for directions (e.g., *twist right at the corner*). For directions or steering, 'turn right/left' is natural; 'twist' is usually for objects or body parts, not for changing the way you walk or drive.
Meaning
turn or bend something by rotating
Collocations
twist the lid
|twist the handle
|twist the rope
|twist her hair
|twist his body
|twist into a knot
Synonyms
turn (More general; does not always suggest bending or changing shape.)
|
rotate (More technical or formal; focuses on spinning around an axis.)
|
wring (Often used for squeezing water out of cloth by strong twisting.)
Antonyms
straighten (Means to make something not bent or twisted.)
|
untwist (Means to remove a twist and return something to its original position.)
Themes
daily life
|movement
|objects
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Definition
To turn or bend something by moving one end around so its shape or direction changes.
To turn or bend something, often by holding it at one or both ends and rotating, so that its shape or direction changes.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
a twist in [something]
The movie’s final twist left the audience speechless.
A film végi váratlan fordulattól a közönség szóhoz sem jutott.
There’s a clever twist in the middle of the book that changes everything.
A könyv közepén van egy ügyes csavar, amely mindent megváltoztat.
In a strange twist of fate, they met again years later on another continent.
The trial took a dramatic twist when a new witness came forward.
The story has so many twists that it’s hard to guess the ending.
Learner examples
The film has a big twist at the end.
A film végén nagy fordulat történik.
There is an interesting twist in the story.
Érdekes fordulat van a történetben.
In a twist of fate, he got the job he once lost.
The writer likes to add a twist to every chapter.
No one saw the twist coming.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *the story twisted* when they mean *there was a twist in the story*. Use 'twist' as a noun here: 'The story takes a twist' or 'There is a twist in the story,' not 'The story twists' (unless you are speaking very informally or poetically).
Meaning
surprising change in story or events
Collocations
plot twist
|twist ending
|a twist of fate
|unexpected twist
|a twist in the story
|surprising twist
Synonyms
surprise (More general; does not specifically suggest a change in a storyline.)
|
turn (Often used in the phrase 'a strange turn of events' with a similar meaning.)
Antonyms
predictability (The quality of having no surprises or unexpected changes.)
|
expected outcome (A result that people could easily guess in advance.)
Themes
stories
|entertainment
|events
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Definition
A surprise change in what happens in a story or in real life.
An unexpected or surprising change in the way a story, situation, or set of events develops.
NOUN
B2
3
csavarodás
B2
kanyar
A2
Usage pattern:
a twist in [something]
There’s a sharp twist in the road just before the bridge.
Közvetlenül a híd előtt éles kanyar van az úton.
He noticed a small twist in the metal bar where it had been bent.
Egy kis csavarodást vett észre a fémrúdon ott, ahol meghajlott.
The river makes a wide twist around the village.
She formed a neat twist in the rope to secure the sail.
The artist added a subtle twist in the line of the sculpture.
Learner examples
Be careful; there is a twist in the road here.
Vigyázz, itt kanyar van az úton.
There is a twist in the wire, so it will not lie flat.
Van egy csavarodás a drótban, ezért nem lehet laposan kifektetni.
He saw a twist in the pipe and fixed it.
The scarf had a pretty twist at the front.
Make a small twist in the rope before you tie the knot.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'curve' or 'corner' when they mean a twisting, bending part of something long and thin. Use 'twist' when the shape comes from something being turned or bent, especially in roads, wires, ropes, or pipes.
Meaning
curved or spiral bend
Collocations
a twist in the road
|a twist in the wire
|a twist in the rope
|give it a twist
|a twist in the pipe
|a twist in his mouth
Synonyms
bend (General word for something that is not straight; does not always suggest spiral movement.)
|
curve (Focuses on the smooth shape more than on the action of turning.)
Antonyms
straight section (Describes part of something that has no bends or twists.)
Themes
movement
|objects
|transport
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A bend or curve in something that is made by twisting it.
A curved or spiral bend in something, made by turning or bending it.
VERB
B2
4
Usage pattern:
to twist [a body part]
She twisted her ankle on the uneven pavement and could barely walk.
Az egyenetlen járdán megrándult a bokája, és alig tudott járni.
He twisted his knee during the match and had to sit out the rest of the game.
A meccs közben megrándította a térdét, ezért a játék hátralévő részében már nem tudott játszani.
I must have twisted my wrist when I fell, because it hurts to move it.
Be careful not to twist your back when lifting heavy boxes.
He landed badly and twisted his ankle again.
Learner examples
He twisted his ankle while playing basketball.
Kosárlabdázás közben megrándult a bokája.
She twisted her knee when she ran down the stairs.
Megrándította a térdét, amikor leszaladt a lépcsőn.
I think I twisted my wrist when I fell.
Be careful, or you will twist your back.
The child twisted his ankle in the park.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'twist' with 'break'. If the bone is not broken but the joint is hurt by turning, 'twist' or 'sprain' is correct, not 'break'.
Meaning
injure a joint by turning
Collocations
twist an ankle
|twist my knee
|twist your wrist
|twist his back
|badly twisted ankle
|slightly twisted knee
Synonyms
sprain (More medical-sounding; specifically about damaging ligaments around a joint.)
Antonyms
heal (Describes the opposite process: the injury getting better.)
Themes
health
|body
|sports
Definition
To hurt a joint, like an ankle, by turning it too far or in the wrong way.
To injure a joint by turning it suddenly or too far in a way that it is not meant to move.
VERB
C1
5
Usage pattern:
to twist [someone’s words / the truth / the facts]
The article twisted his words to make him sound selfish.
A cikk kiforgatta a szavait, hogy önzőnek tűnjön.
Don’t twist the facts just to win the argument.
Ne ferdítsd el a tényeket csak azért, hogy megnyerd a vitát.
She accused the reporter of twisting the truth about what happened.
He twisted my story so it looked like everything was my fault.
Politicians often twist statistics to support their message.
Learner examples
Please don’t twist my words.
Kérlek, ne forgasd ki a szavaimat.
The news report twisted the facts.
A híradás elferdítette a tényeket.
He twisted the truth to make himself look good.
They twisted her story and people believed it.
She said he twisted what she told him.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *change my words* when they mean *twist my words*. 'Change my words' is neutral. 'Twist my words' means someone changes them in an unfair or dishonest way.
Meaning
distort or misrepresent truth or words
Collocations
twist my words
|twist the truth
|twist the facts
|twist the story
|twist it to fit
|twist what happened
Synonyms
distort (More formal; strongly suggests making something unclear or wrong.)
|
misrepresent (Formal; often used in legal or official contexts.)
|
spin (Often used about politicians or media putting a biased interpretation on events.)
Antonyms
clarify (Means to make something clearer and more accurate, not less.)
|
quote accurately (Means to repeat someone’s exact words without changing their meaning.)
Themes
communication
|media
|ethics
Definition
To change what someone said or what really happened so that people get the wrong idea.
To change or present what someone said or what happened in a way that is not accurate, often to achieve a particular purpose.
NOUN
B2
6
Usage pattern:
a twist of [lemon / lime]
He ordered a gin and tonic with a twist of lime.
Egy gin-tonikot rendelt lime-héjspirállal.
The cocktail is served with a twist of orange on the rim of the glass.
A koktélt narancshéjspirállal tálalják a pohár peremén.
She prefers her martini with a twist rather than with olives.
The bartender added a twist of lemon to brighten the drink.
Ask for a twist of lemon if you like a fresher taste.
Learner examples
I would like a soda with a twist of lemon.
Egy szódát szeretnék citromhéjspirállal.
He put a twist of lime in my drink.
Egy lime-héjspirált tett az italomba.
The drink comes with a twist of orange on top.
She likes her water with ice and a twist of lemon.
The bar offers coffee with a twist of orange peel.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'a twist of lemon' with 'a slice of lemon'. A 'twist' is usually a thin strip of peel, not a round piece of the whole fruit.
Meaning
thin twisted citrus peel for drinks
Collocations
a twist of lemon
|a twist of lime
|martini with a twist
|gin and tonic with a twist
|served with a twist of orange
Synonyms
zest (A more culinary word; refers to the outer colored part of citrus peel, not always twisted or used as a garnish.)
Antonyms
plain (Describes a drink with nothing extra added for flavor or decoration.)
Themes
food
|drinks
|food_drink
Definition
A thin piece of lemon or other citrus skin, turned into a spiral and put in a drink for taste or decoration.
A thin strip of lemon, lime, or other citrus peel that is twisted and used to flavor or decorate a drink.
NOUN
C1
7
csavar
B2
Usage pattern:
[something] with a twist
The chef offers classic dishes with a modern twist.
A séf klasszikus fogásokat kínál modern csavarral.
It’s a romantic comedy with a dark twist.
Romantikus vígjáték sötét csavarral.
The designer put a playful twist on the traditional suit.
Her talk on time management had an interesting twist that made everyone think.
They’re selling old fairy tales with a feminist twist.
Learner examples
This cake is a normal recipe with a small twist.
Ez a sütemény egy hagyományos recept alapján készül, egy kis csavarral.
The movie is a love story with a funny twist.
A film egy szerelmi történet vicces csavarral.
He gave the old game a modern twist.
The restaurant makes street food with a healthy twist.
The teacher told the story again but with a new twist.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *with a different* or *with a change* instead of the fixed phrase *with a twist*. In marketing, food, and entertainment, *with a twist* is the natural, idiomatic choice for a small creative change.
Meaning
unusual added feature or variation
Collocations
a modern twist
|a new twist on
|a clever twist
|add a twist
|with a twist
|a fun twist
Synonyms
variation (Neutral word for a changed form; does not always suggest something clever or surprising.)
|
spin (Informal; often about giving a familiar thing a different style or angle.)
Antonyms
traditional version (Stresses that something is done in the usual, classic way without changes.)
Themes
creativity
|business
|entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A small new or different idea added to something usual, which makes it special.
An unusual or different feature added to something familiar, making it new or interesting in some way.
NOUN
B2
8
twist
B2
Usage pattern:
do the twist
They played old rock-and-roll and everyone started to do the twist.
Régi rock and rollt játszottak, és mindenki twistet kezdett táncolni.
My parents met at a party while dancing the twist.
A szüleim egy bulin ismerkedtek meg, miközben twistet táncoltak.
The band’s retro show even included a short twist lesson for the audience.
The twist became a huge hit in the early 1960s.
He showed his kids how people used to dance the twist.
Learner examples
They taught us how to do the twist in dance class.
A táncórán megtanították nekünk, hogyan kell twistet táncolni.
My grandma loves to dance the twist to old songs.
A nagymamám imád régi számokra twistet táncolni.
People did the twist at the party.
The twist was a very popular dance.
He tried the twist and everyone laughed.
Meaning
dance called the twist
Collocations
do the twist
|dance the twist
|learn the twist
|the twist was popular
|classic twist moves
Synonyms
dance (Very general; does not name this specific style.)
Antonyms
slow dance (Contrasts with the energetic, twisting style of the twist.)
Themes
music
|entertainment
|history
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A dance where people move their hips and body from side to side in a twisting way, popular in the 1960s.
A dance, popular especially in the 1960s, in which people move their hips and body with twisting movements.
Grammar
Dictionary form
twist
IPA
GB/twˈɪst/
US/twˈɪst/
Syllables & stress
twist (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (twist)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: twist
- Plural: twist, twists
Verb
- Base: twist
- 3rd Person Singular: twists
- Present Participle: twisting
- Past: twisted
Word family
Forms
Related words
twisty
adjective
twister
noun
Negative and opposite forms
untwist
verb
Expressions
do the twist
1/dˈu ðə twˈɪst/
fixed phrase
dance the twist
To dance a dance called the twist, moving your hips and body from side to side.
Examples
- They put on a 60s playlist and started to do the twist.
- My grandfather still loves to do the twist at family parties.
- Everyone was doing the twist when that old song came on.
get one's knickers in a twist
1/ɡˈɛt wˈʌnz nˈɪkɚz ˈɪn ə twˈɪst/
idiom
informal
overreact or get upset about little things
To get very upset, worried, or angry about something that is not very important.
Examples
- Don’t get your knickers in a twist; it’s only a joke.
- She got her knickers in a twist over a tiny mistake in the report.
- He tends to get his knickers in a twist about small delays.
put a new twist on
1/pˈʊt ə njˈu twˈɪst ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
add a creative variation
To change a familiar thing by adding a new idea or style so it feels fresh or different.
Examples
- The film puts a new twist on the classic superhero story.
- This recipe puts a new twist on traditional fried chicken.
- Her presentation put a new twist on a topic that many students find boring.
twist and turns
1/twˈɪst ˈænd tˈɚnz/
idiom
many changes or complications
Many changes and surprises in a story, plan, or situation, often making it complicated.
Examples
- The novel is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing.
- Life has its twists and turns, but he stayed positive.
- The negotiations took many twists and turns before they reached an agreement.
twist of fate
1/twˈɪst əv fˈeɪt/
idiom
unexpected life-changing event
An unexpected event in life that changes what happens to someone, often in a surprising or strange way.
Examples
- In a twist of fate, she ended up working for the company that once rejected her.
- By a strange twist of fate, they sat next to each other on the plane.
- A lucky twist of fate helped him find his lost dog.
twist off
1/twˈɪst ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
remove something by turning
To take something off by turning it around and around until it comes off.
Examples
- Twist off the cap and pour the juice.
- She twisted off the lid and smelled the sauce.
- You have to twist off this part before you can replace the filter.
with a twist
1/wˈɪθ ə twˈɪst/
idiom
familiar thing plus a variation
Used to say that something is like the usual thing, but has a small, special, or surprising difference.
Examples
- It’s a cooking show, but with a twist: all the ingredients are for breakfast.
- They’re doing a Shakespeare play with a twist, set in modern New York.
- Try our classic burger with a twist, served in a lettuce wrap instead of a bun.
plot twist
1/plˈɑt twˈɪst/
fixed phrase
Unexpected change in story events
A surprise change in what happens in a story or movie.
Examples
- The movie’s biggest plot twist comes at the very end.
- The film’s final plot twist shocked everyone in the cinema.
- That was an amazing plot twist I didn’t see coming.
- There’s a brilliant plot twist halfway through the novel.
- I love stories with a clever plot twist at the end.
twist someone's arm
1/twˈɪst sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈɑɹm/
idiom
pressure someone to agree
To keep asking or pressuring someone until they finally agree to do something they did not want to do.
Examples
- I didn’t want to go out, but they twisted my arm and I finally said yes.
- It took a bit of arm-twisting, but we twisted his arm and he joined the project.
- You won’t have to twist her arm to get her to come; she loves parties.
twist someone's arm
2/twˈɪst sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈɑɹm/
idiom
informal
Persuade by pressure or influence
To make someone do something by asking many times or putting pressure on them.
Examples
- I didn’t want to go, but she twisted my arm.
- He finally agreed after we twisted his arm.
twist the knife
1/twˈɪst ðə nˈaɪf/
idiom
make someone's pain worse
To say or do something that makes someone feel even worse when they are already sad, hurt, or embarrassed.
Examples
- He knew she felt bad, but he twisted the knife by reminding her of her past mistakes.
- Losing the game was hard, and the fans booing just twisted the knife.
- You don’t need to twist the knife; she already knows she was wrong.
twist the knife
2/twˈɪst ðə nˈaɪf/
idiom
informal
Make someone's pain worse on purpose
To make someone feel even worse when they are already sad or hurt.
Examples
- She really twisted the knife by reminding him of his failure.
- Don't twist the knife—he's already upset.