Tain vs Twain - What's the difference?
tain | twain |
(dated) two
* 1866 , , Before Parting , lines 1-2
* 1889 , , line 1
* 1900 , , Amor Profanus , lines 26-28
As nouns the difference between tain and twain
is that tain is thin tin plate while TWAIN is a standard software protocol and applications programming interface (API) that regulates communication between software applications and imaging devices such as scanners and digital cameras.As a numeral twain is
two.As a verb twain is
to part in twain; divide; sunder.As a proper noun Twain is
{{surname}.tain
English
twain
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) tweyne, tweien, twaine, from (etyl) . The word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of (two), then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it's commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not "to" or "too" is meant. It could look like one of the many English words inherited from Old Norse. The modern Danish word is "tvende" (pronounced tvenne), it means both, two of a kind, etc.Numeral
(head)- But the warm twilight round us twain will never rise again.
- Bring me these twain cups of wine and water, and let us drink from the one we feel more befitting of this day.
- A month or twain to live on honeycomb
- Is pleasant;
- Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.
- […] all too soon we twain shall tread
- The bitter pastures of the dead:
- Estranged, sad spectres of the night.