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Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. "Children twain." Chaucer. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Matt. v. 41. In twain, in halves; into two parts; asunder. When old winder split the rocks in twain. Dryden. -- Twain cloud. (Meteor.) Same as Cumulo-s…

In twain; asunder. [Obs. or Poetic] "Cuts atwain the knots." Tennyson.

To rend in twain; to tear in two. [Obs.] Skelton.

In two; in twain; asunder. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ust; the dog bit a man. Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain. Shak.

part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut. O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain. Shak.

In pairs or twains; two together; binate; twin; as, geminate flowers. Gray.

Tightly drawn; or (perhaps) intricate. [Very rare] Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain, Which are too intrinse to unloose. Shak.

Ill luck; ill fortune; mishap. Chaucer. Never come mischance between us twain. Shak.

A pass or en encounter; as, a passage at arms. No passages of love Betwixt us twain henceforward evermore. Tennyson.

; to cleave; as, to rive timber for rails or shingles. I shall ryve him through the sides twain. Chaucer. The scolding winds have rived the knotty oaks. Shak. Brutus hath rived my heart. Shak.

used for cutting cloth and other substances. Fate urged the shears, and cut the sylph in twain. Pope.

f timber or a board; to split a gem; to split a sheepskin. Cold winter split the rocks in twain. Dryden.

; as, a constable's staff. Methought this staff, mine office badge in court, Was broke in twain. Shak. All his officers brake their staves; but at their return new staves were delivered unto them. Hayward.

Two; twain. [Obs.] Spenser.

mbol representing two units, as 2, II., or ii. In two, asunder; into parts; in halves; in twain; as, cut in two.

milar diaphnous material, to hide or protect the face. The veil of the temple was rent in twain. Matt. xxvii. 51. She, as a veil down to the slender waist, Her unadornéd golden tresses wore. Milton.

e or wedges, or as with a wedge; to rive. "My heart, as wedged with a sigh, would rive in twain." Shak.

ubt I cast for to compare Whether in beauties' glory did exceed. Spenser. Whether of them twain did the will of his father Matt. xxi. 31.