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contort

 - 3 dictionary results

con⋅tort

[kuhn-tawrt]
–verb (used with object)
1. to twist, bend, or draw out of shape; distort.
–verb (used without object)
2. to become twisted, distorted, or strained: His face contorted into a grotesque sneer.

Origin:
1555–65; < L contortus twisted together, ptp. of contorquēre. See con-, tort
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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con·tort   (kən-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 contorquēre, contort-, to twist : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + torquēre, to twist; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
con·tor'tion n., con·tor'tive adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

contort 
1622, from L. contortus, prp. of contorquere "to whirl, twist," from com- "together" + torquere "to twist" (see thwart). Contortionist first recorded 1859.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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