tweak
pronunciation
How to pronounce tweak in British English:
UK [twiːk]
How to pronounce tweak in American English:
US [twiːk]
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- Noun:
- a squeeze with the fingers
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- Verb:
- pinch or squeeze sharply
- pull or pull out sharply
- adjust finely
Word Origin
- tweak
- tweak: see twig
- tweak (v.)
- "pinch, pluck, twist," usually to the nose, c. 1600, probably from Middle English twikken "to draw, tug, pluck" (mid-15c.), from Old English twiccian "to pluck," of obscure origin; perhaps related to twitch. Meaning "to make fine adjustments" is attested from 1966. Related: Tweaked; tweaking.
- tweak (n.)
- c. 1600, "a twitch, a pluck," from tweak (v.). As "a fine adjustment" by 1989.
Example
- 1. Little sheep analyses this information to tweak its management and track staff performance .
- 2. But drugs companies will have to do more than tweak their sales methods .
- 3. Despite these assurances , china 's policymakers will be slow to tweak the policy .
- 4. Animated films are also easier and cheaper to tweak if test audiences hate them .
- 5. He knows he must tweak the constitution to ensure an equitable distribution of oil wealth and to reassure the sunnis that federalism does not mean the end of iraq .