Meaning

1 senses

  1. (figuratively, informal)To deliberately do or say something to worsen a difficult situation or increase a person's distress, irritation, or anger.

Translations

4 languages

Origin

Derived from the fact that the act of literally twisting a knife that is still inside some

Derived from the fact that the act of literally twisting a knife that is still inside someone who has just been stabbed will widen the wound and make it even more painful.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

twists the knife, twisting the knife, twisted the knife, twisted the knife
Base formtwist the knife · to twist the knife
3rd person singulartwists the knife
Present participletwisting the knife
Past simpletwisted the knife
Past participletwisted the knife

irregular

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theytwist the knife
he, she, ittwists the knife

Past simpleLesson

all personstwisted the knife

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave twisted the knife
he, she, ithas twisted the knife

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill twist the knife

Synonyms

2 synonyms
kick someone when they are downrub salt in the wound

Word family

1 related words
Derivedknife twister

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
twirltwistB1twistertwistytwitchC1
twist the knife — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto