twitch

 
Pronunciation: /twɪtʃ/

verb

  • 1give or cause to give a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement: [no object]: her lips twitched and her eyelids fluttered [with object]: the dog twitched his ears
  • [with object and adverbial] cause to move in a specified direction by giving a sharp pull: he twitched a cigarette out of a packet
  • 2 [with object] use a twitch to subdue (a horse).

noun

  • 1a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement: his mouth gave a slight twitch
  • a sudden pull or jerk: he gave a twitch at his moustache
  • a sudden sharp sensation; a pang: he felt a twitch of annoyance
  • 2a small noose attached to a stick, which may be twisted around the upper lip or the ear of a horse to subdue it during veterinary procedures.

Origin:

Middle English: of Germanic origin; related to Old English twiccian 'to pluck, pull sharply'