Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Twinge \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.
   [thorn]vinga, Sw. tvinga to subdue, constrain, Dan. twinge,
   and AS. [thorn]["u]n to press, OHG. d[=u]hen, and probably to
   E. thong. Perhaps influenced by twitch. Cf. {Thong}.]
   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. To affect with a sharp, sudden pain; to torment with
      pinching or sharp pains.

            The gnat . . . twinged him [the lion] till he made
            him tear himself, and so mastered him. --L'Estrange.