Nuances of 'twerp'?

[cimorene]

I was surprised to find only these definitions of "twerp" at wiktionary:

Noun

twerp (plural twerps)

(UK, colloquial) A fool, a twit.

Now you've broken it, you twerp!

1940, Fred Godfrey (lyrics and music), “Bless 'Em All”‎[1], performed by George Formby:

There's many an airman just finishin' his time. There's many a twerp signing on.

(US, colloquial, childish) A small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible.

Get out of my way, you little twerp!

(US, colloquial, childish) A person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased. Sometimes used as a pet-name (often for a younger sibling).

I would have said that it also carries an implication that the puny character is a pest, like... a terrier, or Brad Marchand. But this definition definitely doesn't allow for that implication.

Glancing through a page of search results, only Britannica and Urban Dictionary seem to have that nuance ("annoying" and "obnoxious").

What about everyone else?

Comments

[wychwood]

As a UK English speaker, I don't think of it as being someone inherently aggravating - that would be "an annoying little twerp", I would need to specify.

[phosfate]

In current American English a twerp is more likely to be called a "little shit."

[zana16]

Yes, that’s my connotation for “twerp.” Though it’s been years since I’ve heard the word.

[phosfate]

I think it lasted a lot longer on TV than it did in real life. I hear it on old radio shows a lot, where you weren't even allowed to say "belly" or "guts."

[cimorene]

That's true. I like old slang and terms and spend most of my time reading old fiction, so modern context often doesn't occur to me.

[krait]

Ehhhh, I don't think annoyance is a required component, but (like 'little') certain usages can imply it. Both the "fool" and the "contemptible" meaning could be based on repeated pestering, for instance - That twerp from the insurance company called again, or Wish this twerp would buzz off!

[cimorene]

That's true, and since it's sorta inherently insulting it's easy to pick up annoyance from context since the speaker is often annoyed.

[torachan]

I can't say it's a word I've ever used/heard/thought about too much, but I definitely feel like it has some of the UK meaning in the US as well. idk, I don't think it's used that often these days, so it's hard to say.

[cimorene]

Yeah, I think it's pretty vintage. I guess my dad used it because it's funny, and I picked it up from him originally!