SuaviloquyToday’s word

twain

Twain, a. & n.

Etymology: [OE. twein, tweien, tweyne, AS. twegen, masc. See Two.]

Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. "Children twain." Chaucer. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Matt. v. 41. In twain, in halves; into two parts; asunder. When old winder split the rocks in twain. Dryden. -- Twain cloud. (Meteor.) Same as Cumulo-stratus.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for twain; he lists it under both.

Where he writes about it:

Twain is a nearly obsolete form of two. — from both