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contortion

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
con·tort  (kn-tôrt)
v. con·tort·ed, con·tort·ing, con·torts
v.tr.
To twist, wrench, or bend severely out of shape: pain that contorted their faces.
v.intr.
To become twisted into a strained shape or expression. See Synonyms at distort.

[Latin contorqure, contort-, to twist : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + torqure, to twist; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]

con·tortion n.
con·tortive adj.

contortion [kənˈtɔːʃən]
n
1. the act or process of contorting or the state of being contorted
2. a twisted shape or position
3. something twisted or out of the ordinary in character, meaning, etc mental contortions
contortional  adj
contortioned  adj
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.contortioncontortion - the act of twisting or deforming the shape of something (e.g., yourself)
change of shape - an action that changes the shape of something
2.contortioncontortion - a tortuous and twisted shape or position; "they built a tree house in the tortuosities of its boughs"; "the acrobat performed incredible contortions"
distorted shape, distortion - a shape resulting from distortion

contortion
noun twist, distortion, deformity, convolution, bend, knot, warp The symptoms of the poison included facial contortions.
Translations
contortion [kənˈtɔːʃən] N (= act) → retorcimiento m; (= movement) → contorsión f
contortion [kənˈtɔːrʃən] n [face] → crispation f; [acrobat, body] → contorsion f
contortion
n (esp of acrobat)Verrenkung f; (of features)Verzerrung f; mental contortionsgeistige Verrenkungen plor Klimmzüge pl; he resorted to elaborate verbal contortions to avoid telling the truther hat sich gedreht und gewendet, um nicht die Wahrheit sagen zu müssen
contortion [kənˈtɔːʃn] n (of acrobat) → contorsione f, contorcimento
contortion [kənˈtɔːʃn] n (of acrobat) → contorsione f, contorcimento


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
A swift muscular contortion made the left shoulder strike the ground first.
He could already see the intendant's beaming smile change to a contortion of grief.
They looked dark, wild, and smoky, with a singular resemblance, indeed, to the native inhabitants, like whom, also, they had a disagreeable propensity to ill-natured gibes and sneers, the habit of which had wrought a settled contortion of their visages.
 
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