twangle

twangle

English

Etymology

From twang +‎ -le (frequentative suffix).

Pronunciation

  • (without æ-raising) IPA(key): /ˈtwæŋ.ɡəl/, [ˈtʰwæŋ.ɡəl] ~ [ˈtʰwæŋ.ɡl̩]
  • (æ-raising)
    • (US, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈtweɪ̯ŋ.ɡəl/, [ˈtʰweɪ̯ŋ.ɡəl] ~ [ˈtʰweɪ̯ŋ.ɡl̩]; /ˈtwɛ̃ŋ.ɡəl/, [ˈtʰwɛ̃ŋ.ɡəl] ~ [ˈtʰwɛ̃ŋ.ɡl̩]
  • Rhymes: -æŋɡəl
  • Hyphenation: twan‧gle

Verb

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

  1. (ambitransitive) 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

twangle (plural twangles)

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

Derived terms