Word Study
contort
CIDE DICTIONARY
contort, v. t. [L. contortus, p. p. of contorquere to twist; con- + torquere to twist. See Torture.].
To twist, or twist together; to turn awry; to bend; to distort; to wrest. [1913 Webster]
"The vertebral arteries are variously contorted." [1913 Webster]
"Kant contorted the term category from the proper meaning of attributed." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
contort, v.tr. twist or force out of normal shape.
Etymology
L contorquere contort- (as COM-, torquere twist)
THESAURUS
contort
bend, buckle, corkscrew, crinkle, crook, crumple, curve, distort, garble, get one wrong, get wrong, gloss, gnarl, intort, knot, meander, misapply, misapprehend, miscite, misconceive, misconstrue, misdeem, misexplain, misexplicate, misexpound, misinterpret, misjudge, misquote, misread, misrender, misshape, mistake, mistranslate, misunderstand, pervert, scallop, screw, serpentine, slink, snake, spring, squeeze, strain the sense, swirl, torture, turn, turn awry, twine, twirl, twist, twist and turn, twist the words, warp, whirl, whorl, wind, worm, wrench, wrest, wring, writheROGET THESAURUS
contort
Distortion
VB distort, contort, twist, warp, wrest, writhe, make faces, deform, misshape.Convolution
VB be convoluted, wind, twine, turn and twist, twirl, wave, undulate, meander, inosculate, entwine, intwine, twist, coil, roll, wrinkle, curl, crisp, twill, frizzle, crimp, crape, indent, scollop, scallop, wring, intort, contort, wreathe.For further exploring for "contort" in Webster Dictionary Online
