Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. annoyed, out of emotional control.

1900		E.H. Babbitt ‘College Words and Phrases’ in DN II:i 68: twisted, adj. 1. Wrong. 2. Crazy.
1944		‘F. Bonnamy’ A Rope of Sand (1947) 203: ‘Is Pierre crazy?’ [...] ‘Not in the legal sense.’ I didn’t believe he was; twisted but not mad.
1966		C. Stead Cotters’ England (1980) 223: I thought she was a bit – twisted [...] a neurotic.
1974		R. Stone Dog Soldiers (1976) 243: Ah, man [...] Don’t get twisted. Take it easy.
1982		H. Beaton Outside In I ii: Twisted. Cracked. Up the pole. Round the bend. Fucked!
1998		J. O’Connor Salesman 325: This guy’s one sick, twisted fuck.
2003		K. Cage Gayle 100/2: twisted queen n. gay man who is temporarily deranged, usually as a result of being dumped by a lover, and is bent on revenge.

2. odd, bizarre, extraordinary.

1902		C.L. Cullen More Ex-Tank Tales 22: To convince myself that he wasn’t twisted beneath his thatch.
1930		J. Lait Put on the Spot 50: That Kinky King guy had a hundred twists in his twisted joint.
1965		L. Bruce How to Talk Dirty 26: He was a real twisted nut in regard to his refuse-filing system.
1978		A. Maupin Tales of the City (1984) 226: ‘It’s truly twisted.’ ‘I knew you’d get into it.’.
1981		J. Sullivan ‘The Russians are Coming’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] It’s probably because you’re a twisted perverted corrupted, warped little pervo!
1991		B. Hamper Rivethead (1992) 146: She was also just as twisted and desperate as the rest of us when it came to engaging in [...] hijinks.
1999		Guardian Guide 24–30 July 61: The perfect accompaniment for Roald Dahl’s twisted imagination.
2006		C. Hiaasen Nature Girl 80: Are you making this up? Because it’s incredibly twisted.
2023		M. Herron Secret Hours 189: He was either as clever as a barrelful of monkeys or so twisted he could see himself coming back.

3. confused.

1900		E.H. Babbitt ‘College Words and Phrases’ in DN II:i 68: twisted, adj. Confused.
1902		Ade Forty Modern Fables 100: An Intimate Friend asked Albert if he had not got Twisted and given the Ring to the wrong one.
1920		Ade Hand-made Fables 93: ‘I think you’re Twisted.’ ‘No chance. Room Clerks know everything.’.
1937		‘F. Bonnamy’ Death on a Dude Ranch (1953) 165: It’s easy to get her twisted and I’ll bet she’s scared of you, and is twisted now.
1959		Newport Jazz Festival: 1959 46: twisted: confused, too far out.
1960		Metronome Sept. 16: twisted: [...] confused.
1982		W.D. Myers Won’t Know Till I Get There 74: Can’t sleep after talking to my father last night. I’m about as twisted over this thing as I can be.
1997–2000		Da Bomb 🌐 30: Twisted; 1. Confused.

4. (orig. US, also twister) (very) drunk.

1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks n.p.: Twister, drunk; intoxicated.
1960		C. Cooper Jr Scene (1996) 110: ‘If Daddy were alive —’ ‘He’d be twisted nutty under the table.’.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 29: Everybody belly up to the log and get twisted on me.
1971		R.D. Pharr S.R.O. (1998) 11: I was so goddam twisted I hand’t been sure.
1987		(con. 1930s) L. Redmond Emerald Square 350: I don’t take too much notice of the Uncle, not at the weekend anyway. He’s always half twisted.
1997		Share Slanguage.
2003		W. Zanes Dusty in Memphis 74: I’d allowed myself to get a little twisted on punch.

5. (orig. US) extremely intoxicated by a drug, esp. the hallucinogens or cannabis.

1960		C. Cooper Jr Scene (1996) 6: But now he had the boy; he could lie around [...] twisted, drugged to the verge of insensibility.
1971		Frank Zappa ‘Strictly Genteel ’ 🎵 We all gonna get twisted / We all gonna get wasted.
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 176: Terms like [...] twisted, ruint, and hurt provoke the feeling of devastation.
1993		G.P. Pelecanos Nick’s Trip 120: [H]e had never let me drive his car, even on his most twisted nights.
2000		Eminem ‘Amityville’ 🎵 I get lifted and spit until I’m half-twisted.
2009		R. Milward Ten Storey Love Song 188: Bobby was all twisted on the CK.

6. cynical, disenchanted.

1962		F. Norman Guntz 207: They just aren’t twisted enough on account of not having lived enough.
1997		C. Hiaasen Lucky You 202: He did that to himself. Bloody holes and all. That Dominick, he’s one twisted sonofabitch.

7. (US campus) of a female, bisexual.

1997–2000

Da Bomb 🌐 30: Twisted [...] bisexual female.