torsion

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: tor=sion

CIDE DICTIONARY

torsion, n. [F., fr. LL. torsio, fr. L. torquere, tortum, to twist. See Torture.].

•  The act of turning or twisting, or the state of being twisted; the twisting or wrenching of a body by the exertion of a lateral force tending to turn one end or part of it about a longitudinal axis, while the other is held fast or turned in the opposite direction.  [1913 Webster]
•  That force with which a thread, wire, or rod of any material, returns, or tends to return, to a state of rest after it has been twisted; torsibility.  [1913 Webster]

Angle of torsion (of a curve) (Geom.), the indefinitely small angle between two consecutive osculating planes of a curve of double curvature. -- Moment of torsion (Mech.) the moment of a pair of equal and opposite couples which tend to twist a body. -- Torsion balance (Physics.), an instrument for estimating very minute forces, as electric or magnetic attractions and repulsions, by the torsion of a very slender wire or fiber having at its lower extremity a horizontal bar or needle, upon which the forces act. -- Torsion scale, a scale for weighing in which the fulcra of the levers or beams are strained wires or strips acting by torsion.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

torsion, n.
1 twisting, esp. of one end of a body while the other is held fixed.
2 Math. the extent to which a curve departs from being planar.
3 Bot. the state of being twisted into a spiral.
4 Med. the twisting of the cut end of an artery after surgery etc. to impede bleeding.

Idiom

torsion balance an instrument for measuring very weak forces by their effect upon a system of fine twisted wire. torsion bar a bar forming part of a vehicle suspension, twisting in response to the motion of the wheels, and absorbing their vertical movement. torsion pendulum a pendulum working by rotation rather than by swinging.

Derivative

torsional adj. torsionally adv. torsionless adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. LL torsio -onis f. L tortio (as TORT)

THESAURUS

torsion

ambages, anamorphism, anamorphosis, anfractuosity, asymmetry, buckle, circuitousness, circumambages, circumbendibus, circumlocution, circumvolution, contortion, convolution, crinkle, crinkling, crookedness, deflection, deflexure, detorsion, deviation, diffraction, diffusion, dispersion, disproportion, distortion, flection, flexuosity, flexuousness, flexure, gnarl, imbalance, intorsion, involution, irregularity, knot, lopsidedness, meander, meandering, quirk, refraction, rivulation, scatter, screw, sinuation, sinuosity, sinuousness, skewness, slinkiness, snakiness, stress, torque, tortility, tortuosity, tortuousness, turn, turning, twist, twisting, undulation, unsymmetry, warp, wave, waving, winding, wrench, wrest, wring

ROGET THESAURUS

torsion

Convolution

N convolution, winding, convolution, involution, circumvolution, wave, undulation, tortuosity, anfractuosity, sinuosity, sinuation, meandering, circuit, circumbendibus, twist, twirl, windings and turnings, ambages, torsion, inosculation, reticulation, rivulation, roughness, coil, roll, curl, buckle, spiral, helix, corkscrew, worm, volute, rundle, tendril, scollop, scallop, escalop, kink, ammonite, snakestone, serpent, eel, maze, labyrinth, knot, convoluted, winding, twisted, tortile, tortive, wavy, undated, undulatory, circling, snaky, snake-like, serpentine, serpent, anguill, vermiform, vermicular, mazy, tortuous, sinuous, flexuous, anfractuous, reclivate, rivulose, scolecoid, sigmoid, sigmoidal, spiriferous, spiroid, involved, intricate, complicated, perplexed, labyrinth, labyrinthic, labyrinthian, labyrinthine, peristaltic, daedalian, kinky, knotted, wreathy, frizzly, crepe, buckled, raveled, spiral, coiled, helical, cochleate, cochleous, screw-shaped, turbinated, turbiniform, in and out, round and round, a can of worms, Gordian knot.