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contorted
Use
Contorted
in a sentence
con·tort·ed
/
kənˈtɔr
tɪd
/
Show Spelled
[
k
uh
n-
tawr
-tid
]
Show IPA
adjective
1.
twisted in a violent manner; distorted.
2.
twisted back on itself; convoluted.
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Origin:
1615–25;
contort
+
-ed
2
Related forms
con·tort·ed·ly,
adverb
con·tort·ed·ness,
noun
in·ter·con·tort·ed,
adjective
un·con·tort·ed,
adjective
un·con·tort·ed·ly,
adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
con·tort
/
kənˈtɔrt
/
Show Spelled
[
k
uh
n-
tawrt
]
Show IPA
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;
<
Latin
contortus
twisted together, past participle of
contorquēre.
See
con-
,
tort
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To
contorted
00:10
Contorted
is always a great word to know.
So is
ninnyhammer
. Does it mean:
So is
lollapalooza
. Does it mean:
So is
quincunx
. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Collins
World English Dictionary
contort
(kənˈtɔːt)
—
vb
to twist or bend severely out of place or shape, esp in a strained manner
[C15: from Latin
contortus
intricate, obscure, from
contorquēre
to whirl around, from
torquēre
to twist, wrench]
con'tortive
—
adj
contorted
(kənˈtɔːtɪd)
—
adj
1.
twisted out of shape
2.
(esp of petals and sepals in a bud) twisted so that they overlap on one side
con'tortedly
—
adv
con'tortedness
—
n
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
contort
1622, from L. contortus, prp. of contorquere "to whirl, twist," from com- "together" + torquere "to twist" (see
thwart
). Related: Contorted (pp. adj., 1620s).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
The sediments have been highly metamorphosed and
contorted
as a result of
folding and igneous intrusions.
Pellets of sweat flew from her
contorted
face and glittered in the beam of
footlights.
Note also the tilted,
contorted
appearance of condensation funnels.
The building's
contorted
shape was simultaneously thrilling and frightening.
Blackjack oak is often a short,
contorted
tree, growing on poor soils.
Aside from the somewhat
contorted
language, this is interesting for a few reasons.
The
contorted
shapes of the layers indicate that the rock has been deformed at some time since it formed.
That's impressive given the
contorted
models that others have come up with.
In places where layers of rocks are
contorted
, the relative ages of the layers may be difficult to determine.
With her
contorted
limbs and grimacing face, she seemed unconscious, lost in the brainstorm that envelops seizure sufferers.
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Synonyms
torture
writhe
twist
curve
wind
bend
knot
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