intertwine

English

Etymology

From inter- +‎ twine.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌɪntəˈtwaɪn/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˌɪntəɹˈtwaɪn/, [-ɾəɹ-]
  • Audio (General American):(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪn
  • Hyphenation: in‧ter‧twine

Verb

intertwine (third-person singular simple present intertwines, present participle intertwining, simple past and past participle intertwined)

  1. (transitive)
    1. To twine (things) together.
      Synonym: entwine
      Coordinate terms: interweave, tangle
      • 2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 240c:
        You see, no doubt, that yet again, thanks to this intertwining, our many-headed sophist has forced us against our will to admit that what is not is in a way.
    2. To connect (things) closely.
  2. (intransitive)
    1. To become twined together.
    2. (figurative) To become mutually involved.

Derived terms

Translations