dis-tort
verb (used with object)
1.
to twist awry or out of shape; make crooked or deformed: Arthritis had distorted his fingers.
2.
to give a false, perverted, or disproportionate meaning to; misrepresent: to distort the facts.
3.
Electronics. to reproduce or amplify (a signal) inaccurately by changing the frequencies or unequally changing the delay or amplitude of the components of the output wave.
Origin:
1580–90; < Latin distortus (past participle of distorquēre to distort), equivalent to dis- dis-1 + tor(qu)- (stem of torquēre to twist) + -tus past participle suffix
1580–90; < Latin distortus (past participle of distorquēre to distort), equivalent to dis- dis-1 + tor(qu)- (stem of torquēre to twist) + -tus past participle suffix
Related forms
dis·tort·er, noun
dis·tor·tive, adjective
non·dis·tort·ing, adjective
non·dis·tort·ing·ly, adverb
non·dis·tor·tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To dis-tort
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Dis-tort
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
distort (dɪˈstɔːt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | (often passive) to twist or pull out of shape; make bent or misshapen; contort; deform |
| 2. | to alter or misrepresent (facts, motives, etc) |
| 3. | electronics to reproduce or amplify (a signal) inaccurately, changing the shape of the waveform |
| [C16: from Latin distortus misshapen, from distorquēre to turn different ways, from | |
| dis'torted | |
| —adj | |
| dis'tortedly | |
| —adv | |
| dis'tortedness | |
| —n | |
| dis'torter | |
| —n | |
| dis'tortive | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
distort
1580s, from L. distortus, pp. of distorquere "to twist different ways, distort," from dis- "completely" + torquere "to twist" (see thwart). Related: Distorted; distorting.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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