twangle

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English

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Etymology

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From twang +‎ -le (frequentative suffix).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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twangle (third-person singular simple present twangles, present participle twangling, simple past and past participle twangled)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To twang repetitively.
    • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 12:
      Cal. Be not affeard, the Iſle is full of noyſes,
      Sounds, and ſweet aires, that giue delight and hurt not :
      Sometimes a thouſand twangling Inſtruments
      Will hum about mine eares ; and ſometime voices,
      That if I then had wak'd after long ſleepe,
      Will make me ſleepe againe, and then in dreaming,
      The clouds methought would open, and ſhew riches
      Ready to drop vpon me, that when I wak'd
      I cri'de to dreame againe.
    • 1847, Alfred Tennyson, “Prologue”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, [], →OCLC:
      While the twangling violin / Struck up with Soldier-laddie.

Noun

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twangle (plural twangles)

  1. A twanging sound.
    Synonyms: twang, twanging, twangling

Derived terms

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