twist

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• intransitive verb To wind together (two or more threads, for example) so as to produce a single strand.
• intransitive verb To form in this manner.
• intransitive verb To wind or coil (vines or rope, for example) about something.
• intransitive verb To interlock or interlace.
• intransitive verb To make (one's way) in a tortuous manner.
• intransitive verb To cause to rotate or turn in another direction.
• intransitive verb To impart a spiral or coiling shape to, as by turning the ends in opposite directions.
• intransitive verb To turn or open by turning.
• intransitive verb To pull, break, or snap by turning.
• intransitive verb To wrench or sprain.
• intransitive verb To alter the normal aspect of; contort.
• intransitive verb To alter or distort the intended meaning of: synonym: distort.
• intransitive verb To alter or distort the mental, moral, or emotional character of.
• intransitive verb To be or become twisted.
• intransitive verb To move or progress in a winding course; meander.
• intransitive verb To squirm; writhe.
• intransitive verb To rotate or turn in another direction.
• intransitive verb To dance the twist.
• noun Something twisted or formed by twisting, especially.
• noun A length of yarn, cord, or thread, especially a strong silk thread used mainly to bind the edges of buttonholes.
• noun Tobacco leaves processed into the form of a rope or roll.
• noun A loaf of bread or other bakery product made from pieces of dough twisted together.
• noun A sliver of citrus peel twisted over or dropped into a beverage for flavoring.
• noun A spin, twirl, or rotation.
• noun A complete rotation of the body around its vertical axis, as in diving and gymnastics.
• noun A spinning motion given to a ball when thrown or struck in a specific way.
• noun The state of being twisted into a spiral; torsional stress or strain.
• noun The degree or angle of torsional stress.
• noun A contortion or distortion of the body, especially the face.
• noun A distortion of meaning.
• noun A sprain or wrench, as of an ankle.
• noun A change in direction; a turn.
• noun An unexpected change in a process or a departure from a pattern, often producing a distortion or perversion.
• noun A personal inclination or eccentricity; a penchant or flaw.
• noun A dance characterized by vigorous gyrations of the hips and arms.
• idiom (leave to twist/leave twisting) To abandon (someone) to a bad situation, often as a recipient of blame.
• idiom (twist (someone's) arm) To pressure or coerce.

from The Century Dictionary.

• To unite, as two or more strands or filaments, by winding one about another; hence, to form by twining or rolling into a single thread; spin.
• To intertwine; interweave; combine.
• To weave; fabricate; compose.
• To wreathe; wind; twine.
• To bend or turn spirally, as by causing both ends to revolve in opposite directions; alter in shape so that parts previously in the same straight line and plane are located in a spiral curve; also, to cause to move spirally or with a progressive rotary motion, as a ball when pitched in a curve, or a billiard-ball when Englished.
• To curve; bend; deflect: as, to twist a thing into a serpentine form; twisted like the letter S.
• To thrust out of place or shape; contort or distort; pervert; wrench; wrest; warp: used literally or figuratively.