Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense twangs, present participle twanging, past tense, past participle twanged
1. verb
If you twang something such as a tight string or elastic band, or if it twangs, it makes a fairly loud, ringing sound because it has been pulled and then released.
...people who sat at the back of class and twanged an elastic band. [VERB noun]
His guitar makes a noise like a wooden ruler being twanged upon a desk. [VERB noun]
The song is a fiery mix of twanging guitar with relentless drumming. [VERB-ing]
The fiddle began to twang. [VERB]
Twang is also a noun.
Something gave a loud discordant twang.
He fitted a pebble into the catapult and pulled back the elastic. Twang!
2. countable noun [usually singular]
A twang is a quality in someone's way of speaking in which sound seems to be coming through the nose.
...the nasal twang of his voice.
...her broad Australian twang.
twang in British English
(twæŋ)
noun
1.
a sharp ringing sound produced by or as if by the plucking of a taut string
the twang of a guitar
2.
the act of plucking a string to produce such a sound
3.
a strongly nasal quality in a person's speech, esp in certain dialects
verb
4.
to make or cause to make a twang
to twang a guitar
5.
to strum (music, a tune, etc)
to twang on a guitar
6.
to speak or utter with a sharp nasal voice
7. (intransitive)
to be released or move with a twang
the arrow twanged away
Derived forms
twangy (ˈtwangy)
adjective
Word origin
C16: of imitative origin
twang in American English
(twæŋ)
Word forms: ˈtwangled or ˈtwangling
noun
1.
a.
a quick, sharp, vibrating sound, as of a taut string suddenly plucked or released
b.
an act of plucking that makes this sound
2.
a.
a sharply nasal way of speaking; ringing, nasal quality
b.
a dialect characterized by this
3. Dialectal
a twinge
verb intransitive
4.
to make a twang, as a bowstring, banjo, etc.
5.
to speak with a twang
6.
to be released with a twang
said of an arrow
verb transitive
7.
to cause to twang
8.
to say with a twang
9.
to shoot (an arrow), release (a bowstring), etc. with a twang
Also ; Rare ˈtwangle (ˈtwæŋgəl)Word forms: ˈtwangled or ˈtwangling
Derived forms
twangy (ˈtwangy)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈtwangier or ˈtwangiest
Word origin
echoic
Examples of 'twang' in a sentence
twang
After all, those who twang guitars together are soon singing from the same hymn sheet.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They reappeared halfway over the Atlantic with an American twang.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
His English had a distant American twang.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
As the story progresses through the twentieth century, so it acquires an American twang.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
But at least she's kept her nasal twang, eh?
The Sun (2006)
The voice on the other end of the line is calm and steady, with an American twang.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
twang
British English: twang VERB
If you twang something such as a tight string or elastic band, or if it twangs, it makes a fairly loud, ringing sound because it has been pulled and then released.
...people who sat at the back of class and twanged an elastic band.