First recorded in 1350–1400.
Comes via Middle English from the Latin word tortuōsus, which derives from the verb torquēre, “to twist, bend.”
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF TORTUOUS\r\n

The tortuous road through the mountains made for a challenging but scenic drive.
The author's writing style was known for its elegant prose and tortuous plot twists.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Submit now!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/T03/T0390200.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"adjective","data":"full of twists, turns, or bends; twisting, winding, or crooked."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/tortuous_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"hT1knv38cqWu4jH-4Bc_H","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"spreadable","entry":"spreadable"},{"slug":"spread-betting","entry":"spread betting"},{"slug":"spread-eagle","entry":"spread eagle"},{"slug":"spread-eagleism","entry":"spread-eagleism"},{"slug":"spreader","entry":"spreader"}],"after":[{"slug":"spreader-ditcher","entry":"spreader-ditcher"},{"slug":"spreading-center","entry":"spreading center"},{"slug":"spreading-depolarization","entry":"spreading depolarization"},{"slug":"spreading-zone","entry":"spreading zone"},{"slug":"spread-like-wildfire","entry":"spread like wildfire"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"spreader-beam"},"requestId":"AUnHb-uMqS1LXDoy2JR7l","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"spreader-beam"},"requestId":"eOlki2ZEmidcqQr_rIJqN","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"Entry","audioPronunciations":[],"confusableNotes":[],"genderNotes":[],"grammarNotes":[],"headword":{"displayForm":"spreader beam","slug":"spreader-beam"},"idioms":[],"orderKey":99999010,"ordinal":10,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechBlock":[{"definitions":[{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a crosspiece for spacing the chains or cables hanging from the boom of a crane.\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":1,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}}],"inflectionSets":[],"labelSet":null,"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationNotes":[],"pronunciationSet":null,"relatedFormSets":[],"sensitiveNotes":[],"spellingNotes":[],"synonymStudy":[],"usageAlerts":[],"usageNotes":[],"variants":[],"verbPhrases":[]}],"url":"spreader-beam"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"spreader-beam"},"requestId":"FQarOHD4d6enfd9nEde5g","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"spreader-beam","displayForm":"spreader beam","canonicalSlug":"spreader-beam","content":[{"source":"luna","entries":[{"id":"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e782fe7.5021","type":"normal","entry":"spreader beam","entrySyllabified":"spreader beam","entryVariants":[],"homograph":null,"pronunciation":null,"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"a crosspiece for spacing the chains or cables hanging from the boom of a crane.","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]}],"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":""}],"origin":null,"originData":null,"supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":["Also called yoke. "],"variantSpellings":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"confusables":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":146561,"index-rank-01":["spreader beam"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":["spreader beam's","spreader beams","spreader beams'"],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"complexityScore":0.4258350686658708,"gradeLevel":"middle_school","tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"spreader-beam"},"requestId":"Q4cxca8O7wGHLFD2ezwqK","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":["spread","spreed","speeder","spreads","spender","sprayer","speared","speedier","spared","spired","spread to","spade","spree","preorder","spread over","spider"],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"spread","slug":"spread"},{"displayForm":"spreed","slug":"spreed"},{"displayForm":"speeder","slug":"speeder"},{"displayForm":"spreads","slug":"spreads"},{"displayForm":"spender","slug":"spender"},{"displayForm":"sprayer","slug":"sprayer"},{"displayForm":"speared","slug":"speared"},{"displayForm":"speedier","slug":"speedier"},{"displayForm":"spared","slug":"spared"},{"displayForm":"spired","slug":"spired"},{"displayForm":"spread to","slug":"spread%20to"},{"displayForm":"spade","slug":"spade"},{"displayForm":"spree","slug":"spree"},{"displayForm":"preorder","slug":"preorder"},{"displayForm":"spread over","slug":"spread%20over"},{"displayForm":"spider","slug":"spider"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"spreader-beam"},"requestId":"AEDyvaU7AcLXY1ZKhWNNu","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

spreader beam

noun

Word of the Day