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twain ~ twine ~ twin

[different vowel sound: ‘twain’ rhymes with “rain” or “brain”; ‘twine’ rhymes with “shine” or ‘dine”, and ‘twin’ rhymes with “tin” or “grin”]

“Twain” (number & old usage) is ‘the number two (2); {usually in the saying (proverb) “never the twain shall meet” which means that two things are so different from one another that they can never go (exist) together’; (these days, found mostly) in people’s names, e.g. Mark Twain, Shania Twain, etc.’,

e.g.

With a single powerful stroke of his axe, he split the log into twain.

Mark Twain was a popular humorous story writer.

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a reel of twine (thread)

“Twine”, as a noun, is ‘a strong string that is made by twisting or winding two or more strands of thread or nylon’; as a verb, it is ‘to twist or wind around something else, like a snake or a creeping plant, etc.’,

two snakes twined round a staff

e.g.

His little daughter twined her arms around his neck.

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“Twin”, as a noun, is ‘one of the two children born to the same mother at the same time; one of two similar things that make a pair’; as an adjective, it is used to describe ‘one of two children (twins), one of a pair of things, one of two things that present or happening at the same time’; as a verb ~~~  twin – twinned – twinned – twinning , it is ‘to make or form a close relationship between two towns or areas; to join two things or people close together’, [human twins are = identical twins, fraternal twins & Siamese twins (conjoined twins)]

twins

e.g.

My cousin is expecting twins this time.    [twins = noun]

Her twin brother is in the States.    [twin = adjective]

This book twins the themes of love and hate.   [twins = verb]

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