twenty Hear it!

twenty Definition

twenty (twen′tē, twen′ē, twun′ē)

adjective

two times ten

Etymology: ME twenti < OE twegentig, lit., two tens (akin to Ger zwanzig, Goth twai tigjus) < twegen, twain + -tig, -ty

noun pl. -·ties

  1. the cardinal number between nineteen and twenty-one; 20; XX
  2. ☆ Informal a twenty-dollar bill

twenty Idioms

the twenties

the numbers or years, as of a century, from twenty through twenty-nine

twenty Synonyms

twenty

modif.

twentieth, vicenary, twentyfold, vicennial.

twenty Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • produce: Averaging upper doubles, the old lake has produced three twenties this week and a new 30lb mirror.
  • age: The man is described as black, aged mid twenties, 5ft 9 in to 6ft tall, with collar length dreadlocked hair.

Adjective modifier

  • mid: She appeared to be in her mid twenties - you know that type.
  • early: In his early twenties he was invited to go to the Pyrenees to study plant life.
  • late: Muse is an alternative designer clothing line for women in their mid to late twenties who desires to dress youthful yet smart.
  • middle: In 1893 he was apparently in his middle twenties.
  • few: The Old Lake has also fished well again this week with quite a few multi bags reported along with a few twenties.
  • top: Just been doing the research for it - and there are three fantastic top twenties to play.

Modifies a noun

  • cigarette: Seeing police cars on the road, we pulled up to see two men in their twenties smoking cigarettes and talking to the police.
  • smoking: Seeing police cars on the road, we pulled up to see two men in their twenties smoking cigarettes and talking to the police.

Noun used with modifier

  • heat: HEAT TWENTY: Lee Richardson, Tomasz Gollob, Bjarne Pedersen, Hans N. Andersen.
twenty Quotes

   Live as long as you may, the first twenty years are the longest half of your life.

—Southey, Robert

For the first twenty years you are still growing, Bodily that is; as a poet, of course, You are not born yet. It's the next ten You cut your teeth on to emerge smirking For your brash courtship of the muse.

—Thomas, R(onald) S(tuart)

'Bah!', she said,'With people like you, love only means onething.' 'No,' hereplied.'It meanstwenty things, but it doesn't mean nineteen.'

—Bennett, (Enoch) Arnold

   TheTwentyThousand Thieves.

—Joyce,William known as Lord Haw Haw

Preface to aTwenty Volume Suicide Note.

—Jones

Now, of my threescore years and ten, Twenty will not come again, And take from seventy springs a score, It only leaves me fifty more.

—Housman, A(lfred) E(dward)

Browse dictionary entries near twenty

  1. ‹ twentieth
  2. ‹ twelvemonth
  3. ‹ twelvemo
  4. ‹ twelvefold
  5. ‹ twelve-tone
  6. ‹ Twelve Apostles
  7. ‹ twelve
  8. ‹ Twelfth Night
  9. ‹ Twelfth Day
  10. ‹ twelfth
  1. twenty-one ›
  2. twentyfold ›
  3. 'twere ›
  4. twerp ›
  5. Twi ›
  6. twi-night ›
  7. twibill ›
  8. twice ›
  9. twice-laid ›
  10. twice-told ›