twist

The word “twist” means to turn or bend something, often forcefully, so it becomes distorted or wound. In plain terms, to turn or bend something out of its normal shape, or an unexpected turn in a story.

“Twist” is pronounced twihst (/twɪst/ in IPA).

Here is “twist” used in a sentence: “He twisted the cap off the bottle.”

Depending on how it is used, “twist” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “twist” comes from Old English. From Old English twist, related to an old Germanic root for "two," describing something formed by winding two strands together.

“Twist” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Twist” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to turn or bend something, often forcefully, so it becomes distorted or wound.

To 'turn' is simply to change direction or rotate, while to 'twist' means to turn or bend something, often forcefully, so that it becomes wound, coiled, or distorted. A twist usually implies more force or a spiralling motion than a plain turn.

A 'plot twist' is a common collocation for an unexpected change in the direction of a story. It draws on the figurative idea of twisting, meaning to bend or distort the expected course of events into something surprising.