twig

Nest building material

A twig is a small, slender branch—the finest division of a tree or shrub.

Twigs snap easily underfoot: The path was littered with twigs and dead leaves.

In British slang, to twig is to suddenly understand or catch on: It took me a moment to twig what she meant.

branch

bough

Main tree limb

sprigSmall stem with leaves
shootDischarge or capture
stickThin piece of wood

limb · offshoot · branchlet · stem · spray · switch · osier · wand · cane · cutting

kindling

firewood

Cut logs for burning

tinderCombustible material for ignition
kindlingMaterial for starting fires
brushwoodCut or fallen branches

deadfall · fatwood · fuel · ignite · campfire · bonfire · firepit · embers · burn · flame

brittle

snap

Sudden sharp sound

crackNarrow break or attempt
breakInterrupt continuity
fragileEasily broken or damaged

delicate · dry · crisp · splintery · breakable · crunchy · snappable · crackly · thin · withered

understand

grasp

Seize or understand

comprehendTo fully understand
realizeBecome aware of
perceiveBecome conscious of

discern · catch · fathom · recognize · get · sense · figure · deduce · infer · gather

nesting

nest

Animal-built shelter for young

weaveInterlace strands into fabric
birdFeathered flying vertebrate
robinSmall orange-breasted thrush

sparrow · wren · warbler · interlace · construct · material · lining · structure · gather · forage

slender

thin

Small in diameter

willowyTall, slim, pliant
spindlyThin and fragile-looking
wiryThin and muscular

delicate · narrow · fine · slight · wispy · graceful · tapered · skeletal · bare · sparse

Categories

foresttrees, pine, oak, woods, wood
branchingbranching, dendrite, dendrites, dendritic, tree root
plant partsleaf, stem, root, leaves, flower
skinnythin, slim, slender, lean, skinny
tree partstrunk, branches, branch, bark, root
branchesbough, limb, sprig, shoot, offshoot

Opposites

botanical size/structure

Main stem or storage

limb · bough · branch · log · main branch

comprehension (British slang)

twigmisunderstand

Grasp incorrectly

miss · misinterpret · misconstrue · misread · misapprehend

plant structure hierarchy

Main stem or storage

source · root · main stem · heartwood · taproot

Phrases

twigs and berriesSmall branches and wild fruit

Family

twigs, twiggy, twigged, twiglike, twiggier, twiglet

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G