twain

== English == === Alternative forms === twaine === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /tweɪn/, [tʰw̥eɪn] Rhymes: -eɪn === Etymology 1 === From 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. The 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. ==== Numeral ==== twain (dated) two ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Trivia ===== Mark Twain: pen name of the author Samuel Langhorne Clemens. "Mark twain!" was called out by a steamship hand when the sounding depth was 2 fathoms, or 12 feet. This was the shallowest water in which most steamships could operate at full power. ==== Adjective ==== twain (not comparable) (rare) twofold ==== Noun ==== twain (plural twains) Pair, couple. === Etymology 2 === From Middle English twaynen, from twayne (“two”, numeral) (see Etymology 1 above). ==== Verb ==== twain (third-person singular simple present twains, present participle twaining, simple past and past participle twained) (transitive) To part in twain; divide; sunder. ===== See also ===== twin === Anagrams === Antwi, Wiant, waint, witan