See twain in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁",
"name": "PIE word"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "tweyne"
},
"expansion": "Middle English tweyne",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "twēġen",
"4": "",
"5": "two",
"g": "m"
},
"expansion": "Old English twēġen m (“two”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*twai-"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *twai-",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*twai"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *twai",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "twäin"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian twäin",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nds",
"2": "twene"
},
"expansion": "Low German twene",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "zween"
},
"expansion": "German zween",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁\nFrom Middle English tweyne, tweien, twaine, from Old English twēġen m (“two”), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognate with Saterland Frisian twäin, Low German twene, German zween. More at two.\nThe word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of two, then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "numeral"
},
"expansion": "twain",
"name": "head"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "num",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "43 0 41 15",
"kind": "topical",
"name": "English cardinal numbers",
"parents": [
"Cardinal numbers",
"Numbers",
"All topics",
"Terms by semantic function",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "28 0 68 5",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Two",
"orig": "en:Two",
"parents": [
"Numbers",
"All topics",
"Terms by semantic function",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 3 74 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "0 0 85 15",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "0 0 90 10",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "in twain"
},
{
"word": "loss and gain are brothers twain"
},
{
"word": "never the twain shall meet"
},
{
"word": "twain cloud"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "But the warm twilight round us twain will never rise again.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"text": "Bring me these twain cups of wine and water, and let us drink from the one we feel more befitting of this day.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 176:",
"text": "Since I haue your good leaue to goe away,\nI will make haſt; but till I come againe,\nNo bed ſhall ere be guilty of my ſtay,\nNor reſt be interpoſer twixt vs twaine.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1866, Algernon Swinburne, Before Parting, lines 1–2:",
"text": "A month or twain to live on honeycomb\nIs pleasant;",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1889, Rudyard Kipling, The Ballad of East and West, line 1:",
"text": "Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1897, Marie Corelli, “Chapter I”, in Ziska: The Problem of a Wicked Soul, New York: Stone & Kimball, page 25:",
"text": "And whenever Sir Chetwynd spoke of his \"young girls\" he was moved to irreverent smiling, as he knew the youngest of the twain was at least thirty.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1900, Ernest Dowson, Amor Profanus, lines 26–28:",
"text": "[…] all too soon we twain shall tread\nThe bitter pastures of the dead:\nEstranged, sad spectres of the night.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"two"
],
"id": "en-twain-en-num-P8TM~nRY",
"links": [
[
"two",
"two"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(dated) two"
],
"tags": [
"dated"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/tweɪn/"
},
{
"ipa": "[tʰw̥eɪn]"
},
{
"audio": "en-us-twain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg/En-us-twain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-eɪn"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "twaine"
}
],
"word": "twain"
}
{
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁",
"name": "PIE word"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "tweyne"
},
"expansion": "Middle English tweyne",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "twēġen",
"4": "",
"5": "two",
"g": "m"
},
"expansion": "Old English twēġen m (“two”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*twai-"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *twai-",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*twai"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *twai",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "twäin"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian twäin",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nds",
"2": "twene"
},
"expansion": "Low German twene",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "zween"
},
"expansion": "German zween",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁\nFrom Middle English tweyne, tweien, twaine, from Old English twēġen m (“two”), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognate with Saterland Frisian twäin, Low German twene, German zween. More at two.\nThe word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of two, then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "-"
},
"expansion": "twain (not comparable)",
"name": "en-adj"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adj",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "43 0 41 15",
"kind": "topical",
"name": "English cardinal numbers",
"parents": [
"Cardinal numbers",
"Numbers",
"All topics",
"Terms by semantic function",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"twofold"
],
"id": "en-twain-en-adj-PmKR24-1",
"links": [
[
"twofold",
"twofold"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(rare) twofold"
],
"tags": [
"not-comparable",
"rare"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/tweɪn/"
},
{
"ipa": "[tʰw̥eɪn]"
},
{
"audio": "en-us-twain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg/En-us-twain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-eɪn"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "twaine"
}
],
"word": "twain"
}
{
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁",
"name": "PIE word"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "tweyne"
},
"expansion": "Middle English tweyne",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "twēġen",
"4": "",
"5": "two",
"g": "m"
},
"expansion": "Old English twēġen m (“two”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*twai-"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *twai-",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*twai"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *twai",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "twäin"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian twäin",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nds",
"2": "twene"
},
"expansion": "Low German twene",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "zween"
},
"expansion": "German zween",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁\nFrom Middle English tweyne, tweien, twaine, from Old English twēġen m (“two”), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognate with Saterland Frisian twäin, Low German twene, German zween. More at two.\nThe word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of two, then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "twains",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "twain (plural twains)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1903 February 8, The Truth, Sydney, page 3, column 3:",
"text": "The susceptible twain, on the search for adventure, dropped in.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:",
"text": "The twain immediately proffered their companionship.\n‘I will come with you,’ said Mr Lessingham.\n‘And I,’ echoed Sydney.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"pair, couple"
],
"id": "en-twain-en-noun-6CkXrG8Y",
"links": [
[
"pair",
"pair"
],
[
"couple",
"couple"
]
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/tweɪn/"
},
{
"ipa": "[tʰw̥eɪn]"
},
{
"audio": "en-us-twain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg/En-us-twain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-eɪn"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "twaine"
}
],
"word": "twain"
}
{
"etymology_number": 2,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "twaynen"
},
"expansion": "Middle English twaynen",
"name": "inh"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English twaynen, from twayne (“two”, numeral) (see Etymology 1 above).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "twains",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "twaining",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "twained",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "twained",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "twain (third-person singular simple present twains, present participle twaining, simple past and past participle twained)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "43 0 41 15",
"kind": "topical",
"name": "English cardinal numbers",
"parents": [
"Cardinal numbers",
"Numbers",
"All topics",
"Terms by semantic function",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To part in twain; divide; sunder."
],
"id": "en-twain-en-verb-ZywaZRMq",
"links": [
[
"part",
"part"
],
[
"divide",
"divide"
],
[
"sunder",
"sunder"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To part in twain; divide; sunder."
],
"related": [
{
"word": "twin"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/tweɪn/"
},
{
"ipa": "[tʰw̥eɪn]"
},
{
"audio": "en-us-twain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg/En-us-twain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-eɪn"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "twaine"
}
],
"word": "twain"
}
{
"categories": [
"English adjectives",
"English cardinal numbers",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English numerals",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old English",
"English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
"English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *dwóh₁",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Old English",
"English uncomparable adjectives",
"English verbs",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/eɪn",
"Rhymes:English/eɪn/1 syllable",
"en:Two"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "in twain"
},
{
"word": "loss and gain are brothers twain"
},
{
"word": "never the twain shall meet"
},
{
"word": "twain cloud"
}
],
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁",
"name": "PIE word"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "tweyne"
},
"expansion": "Middle English tweyne",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "twēġen",
"4": "",
"5": "two",
"g": "m"
},
"expansion": "Old English twēġen m (“two”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*twai-"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *twai-",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*twai"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *twai",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "twäin"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian twäin",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nds",
"2": "twene"
},
"expansion": "Low German twene",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "zween"
},
"expansion": "German zween",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁\nFrom Middle English tweyne, tweien, twaine, from Old English twēġen m (“two”), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognate with Saterland Frisian twäin, Low German twene, German zween. More at two.\nThe word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of two, then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "numeral"
},
"expansion": "twain",
"name": "head"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "num",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English dated terms",
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "But the warm twilight round us twain will never rise again.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"text": "Bring me these twain cups of wine and water, and let us drink from the one we feel more befitting of this day.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 176:",
"text": "Since I haue your good leaue to goe away,\nI will make haſt; but till I come againe,\nNo bed ſhall ere be guilty of my ſtay,\nNor reſt be interpoſer twixt vs twaine.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1866, Algernon Swinburne, Before Parting, lines 1–2:",
"text": "A month or twain to live on honeycomb\nIs pleasant;",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1889, Rudyard Kipling, The Ballad of East and West, line 1:",
"text": "Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1897, Marie Corelli, “Chapter I”, in Ziska: The Problem of a Wicked Soul, New York: Stone & Kimball, page 25:",
"text": "And whenever Sir Chetwynd spoke of his \"young girls\" he was moved to irreverent smiling, as he knew the youngest of the twain was at least thirty.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1900, Ernest Dowson, Amor Profanus, lines 26–28:",
"text": "[…] all too soon we twain shall tread\nThe bitter pastures of the dead:\nEstranged, sad spectres of the night.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"two"
],
"links": [
[
"two",
"two"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(dated) two"
],
"tags": [
"dated"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/tweɪn/"
},
{
"ipa": "[tʰw̥eɪn]"
},
{
"audio": "en-us-twain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg/En-us-twain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-eɪn"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "twaine"
}
],
"word": "twain"
}
{
"categories": [
"English adjectives",
"English cardinal numbers",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English numerals",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old English",
"English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
"English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *dwóh₁",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Old English",
"English uncomparable adjectives",
"English verbs",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/eɪn",
"Rhymes:English/eɪn/1 syllable",
"en:Two"
],
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁",
"name": "PIE word"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "tweyne"
},
"expansion": "Middle English tweyne",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "twēġen",
"4": "",
"5": "two",
"g": "m"
},
"expansion": "Old English twēġen m (“two”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*twai-"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *twai-",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*twai"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *twai",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "twäin"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian twäin",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nds",
"2": "twene"
},
"expansion": "Low German twene",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "zween"
},
"expansion": "German zween",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁\nFrom Middle English tweyne, tweien, twaine, from Old English twēġen m (“two”), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognate with Saterland Frisian twäin, Low German twene, German zween. More at two.\nThe word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of two, then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "-"
},
"expansion": "twain (not comparable)",
"name": "en-adj"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adj",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with rare senses"
],
"glosses": [
"twofold"
],
"links": [
[
"twofold",
"twofold"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(rare) twofold"
],
"tags": [
"not-comparable",
"rare"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/tweɪn/"
},
{
"ipa": "[tʰw̥eɪn]"
},
{
"audio": "en-us-twain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg/En-us-twain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-eɪn"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "twaine"
}
],
"word": "twain"
}
{
"categories": [
"English adjectives",
"English cardinal numbers",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English numerals",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old English",
"English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
"English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *dwóh₁",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Old English",
"English uncomparable adjectives",
"English verbs",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/eɪn",
"Rhymes:English/eɪn/1 syllable",
"en:Two"
],
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁",
"name": "PIE word"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "tweyne"
},
"expansion": "Middle English tweyne",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "twēġen",
"4": "",
"5": "two",
"g": "m"
},
"expansion": "Old English twēġen m (“two”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*twai-"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *twai-",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*twai"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *twai",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*dwóh₁"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "twäin"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian twäin",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nds",
"2": "twene"
},
"expansion": "Low German twene",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "zween"
},
"expansion": "German zween",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "PIE word\n *dwóh₁\nFrom Middle English tweyne, tweien, twaine, from Old English twēġen m (“two”), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognate with Saterland Frisian twäin, Low German twene, German zween. More at two.\nThe word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of two, then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "twains",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "twain (plural twains)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1903 February 8, The Truth, Sydney, page 3, column 3:",
"text": "The susceptible twain, on the search for adventure, dropped in.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:",
"text": "The twain immediately proffered their companionship.\n‘I will come with you,’ said Mr Lessingham.\n‘And I,’ echoed Sydney.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"pair, couple"
],
"links": [
[
"pair",
"pair"
],
[
"couple",
"couple"
]
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/tweɪn/"
},
{
"ipa": "[tʰw̥eɪn]"
},
{
"audio": "en-us-twain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg/En-us-twain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-eɪn"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "twaine"
}
],
"word": "twain"
}
{
"categories": [
"English cardinal numbers",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English verbs",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/eɪn",
"Rhymes:English/eɪn/1 syllable",
"en:Two"
],
"etymology_number": 2,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "twaynen"
},
"expansion": "Middle English twaynen",
"name": "inh"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English twaynen, from twayne (“two”, numeral) (see Etymology 1 above).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "twains",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "twaining",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "twained",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "twained",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "twain (third-person singular simple present twains, present participle twaining, simple past and past participle twained)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"word": "twin"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English transitive verbs"
],
"glosses": [
"To part in twain; divide; sunder."
],
"links": [
[
"part",
"part"
],
[
"divide",
"divide"
],
[
"sunder",
"sunder"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To part in twain; divide; sunder."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/tweɪn/"
},
{
"ipa": "[tʰw̥eɪn]"
},
{
"audio": "en-us-twain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg/En-us-twain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-twain.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-eɪn"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "twaine"
}
],
"word": "twain"
}
Download raw JSONL data for twain meaning in English (13.0kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-20 using wiktextract (c15a5ce and 5c11237). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.