TWINGE

twinge. Twinge, n. a tweak, sharp sudden pain, pinch, gripe

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Twinge (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Twinged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Twinging.] [[OE. twengen, AS. twengan; akin to OE. twingen to pain, afflict, OFries. thwinga, twinga, dwinga, to constrain, D. dwingen, OS. thwingan, G. zwingen, OHG. dwingan, thwingan, to press, oppress, overcome, Icel. þvinga, Sw. tvinga to subdue, constrain, Dan. twinge, and AS. þün to press, OHG. dūhen, and probably to E. thong. Perhaps influenced by twitch. Cf. Thong.]] 1. 1. To pull with a twitch; to pinch; to tweak.
When a man is past his sense, There's no way to reduce him thence, But twinging him by the ears or nose, Or laying on of heavy blows. Hudibras. 2. 2. To affect with a sharp, sudden pain; to torment with pinching or sharp pains.
The gnat . . . twinged him till he made him tear himself, and so mastered him. L'Estrange.