'twa'n't

English

Contraction

'twa'n't

1. (colloquial, dated) Pronunciation spelling of 'twasn't.
   • 1881 August, Susan B. Long, “Captain Put’s Novel”, in Lippincott’s Magazine, page 167:

     Then s’pose ’twa’n’t long afore he got tew likin’ her so well that he wanted her tew marry him,—honor bright, no sham, ner nothin’ privit’, but fair en square marriage,—en arter a good deal uv holdin’ back, en objectin’, en fearin’, she giv’ in tew this, tew;

   • 1883 January, M. L. T., “Elisha Dodge’s Confession”, in London Society, volume XLIII, number CCLIII, page 87:

     I know’d then ’twa’n’t no time to try and save the silver;

   • 1910 January, Mary Heaton Vorse, “Joshua’s Sotness”, in Good Housekeeping Magazine, volume L, number 1 (whole 375), page 46:

     No, Mis’ Hildreth, ’twa’n’t that she’d aged sence I’d seen her; besides, ’twa’n’t more’n a matter of seven or eight years sence she was visitin’ her ma’s folks in Thornton.