twerp en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /twɜːp/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /twɝp/ (General-American)
Etymology
Of uncertain origin; originally British slang of the 1910s. In a letter, dated 6 October 1944, J. R. R. Tolkien mentions a contemporary of his at Oxford University T.W. Earp, calling him "the original twerp"; but no corroborating evidence for this etymology has come to light. Other suggestions include: a clipping of Antwerp (“type of racing pigeon that flew between Antwerp and London”); the onomatopoeic twirp (“imitation of the sound of a bird”); a dialectal variant of dwarf (compare Middle English dwerf); Welsh twp (“a fool”).
Meanings
-
(UK, colloquial) A fool, a twit.
Now you've broken it, you twerp!
There's many an airman just finishin' his time. There's many a twerp signing on.
1940, Fred Godfrey, “Bless 'Em All”performed by George Formby:
-
(US, childish, colloquial) A small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible.
Get out of my way, you little twerp!
- (US, childish, colloquial) A person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased. Sometimes used as a pet-name (often for a younger sibling).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| twirp | alternative | lexicographic | |
| twerps | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Synonyms
carrion · crumb · pig dog · shicer · louse · losel · scullion · fellow · twerk · toerag · maggot · douchebag · nonentity · slubberdegullion · doink · lidderon · fritlag · cipher · twit · truant · asswipe · drop kick · git · geek · waste of space · loser · nought · badling · hoon · good-for-nothing · sparrow-fart · shitheap · good-for-naught · custron · quat · pelf · streak of piss · roly-poly · rinky-dink · unworthy · fuckbucket · blatherskite · gooey · puny · zero · no-good · ramp · bugger · ne'er-do-well · punk · dirtbag · no-mark · twerp · nonce · assbucket · underperson · dandiprat · nowmun · nobody · pissant · cockstain · pile of shit · wankstain · absolute zero
Translations (15)
cs pitomec (a fool, a twit) · cs blbec (a fool, a twit) · ru тупи́ца (a fool, a twit) · es pendejo (a person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased) · ru простофи́ля (a person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased) · cs ňouma (a person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased) · bg глупак (a fool, a twit) · cs blbeček (a fool, a twit) · ru дура́к (a fool, a twit) · sk krpec (a small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible) · ru ничто́жество (a small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible) · nl ettertje (a person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased) · es pendejo (a small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible) · sk krpec (a person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased) · cs nýmand (a small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible)