Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
TWINGE
I. verb (twinged; twinging or twingeing)
Etymology: Middle English twengen, from Old English twengan; akin to Old High German zwengen to pinch Date: before 12th century transitive verb pluck , tweak , to affect with a sharp pain or pang, intransitive verb to feel a sudden sharp local pain,
II. noun
Date: 1608
a sudden sharp stab of pain, a moral or emotional pang