dis·tort (d -stôrt )tr.v. dis·tort·ed, dis·tort·ing, dis·torts 1. To twist out of a proper or natural relation of parts; misshape. 2. To give a false or misleading account of; misrepresent. 3. To cause to work in a twisted or disorderly manner; pervert.
[Latin distorqu re, distort- : dis-, apart; see dis- + torqu re, to twist; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
dis·tort er n. Synonyms: distort, twist, deform, contort, warp These verbs mean to alter the form or character of something, usually disadvantageously. To distort is to change the physical shape of something, as by torsion or exaggeration of certain features, or to misconstrue the meaning of something: "The human understanding is like a false mirror, which, receiving rays irregularly, distorts and discolors the nature of things" Francis Bacon. Twist applies to distortion of form or meaning: twisted his mouth in pain; accused me of twisting her words. Deform refers to change that disfigures and often implies the loss of desirable qualities such as beauty: erosion that deformed the landscape. Contort implies violent change that produces unnatural or grotesque effects: contorted her face with rage. Warp can refer to turning from a flat or straight form or from a true course or direction: floorboards that had warped over the years; judgment warped by prejudice. |
distort Verb 1. to alter or misrepresent (facts) 2. to twist out of shape; deform 3. Electronics to reproduce or amplify (a signal) inaccurately [Latin distorquere to turn different ways] distorted adj distortion n
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Verb | 1. | distort - make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or storymurder, mutilate, mangle - alter so as to make unrecognizable; "The tourists murdered the French language" misrepresent, belie - represent falsely; "This statement misrepresents my intentions" | | 2. | distort - form into a spiral shape; "The cord is all twisted"wring, wrench - twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish; "Wring one's hand" mat, entangle, snarl, tangle - twist together or entwine into a confusing mass; "The child entangled the cord" spin - work natural fibers into a thread; "spin silk" | | 3. | distort - twist and press out of shapemorph - change shape as via computer animation; "In the video, Michael Jackson morphed into a panther" wring, wrench - twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish; "Wring one's hand" wring - twist, squeeze, or compress in order to extract liquid; "wring the towels" | | 4. | distort - affect as in thought or feeling; "My personal feelings color my judgment in this case"; "The sadness tinged his life" | | 5. | distort - alter the shape of (something) by stress; "His body was deformed by leprosy"shape, form - give shape or form to; "shape the dough"; "form the young child's character" jaundice - distort adversely; "Jealousy had jaundiced his judgment" |
distort verb 2. deform, bend, twist, warp, buckle, mangle, mangulate Austral. ( slang) disfigure, contort, gnarl, misshape, malform
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