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contort

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The definition of contort is to twist or bend out very out of shape.

(verb)

When you taste something very sour and you twist your face up in an odd expression to show your displeasure, this is an example of a time when you contort your face.

See contort in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to twist or wrench out of its usual form into one that is grotesque; distort violently: a face contorted with pain

Origin: < L contortus, pp. of contorquere, to whirl, twist < com-, together + torquere, to twist: see tort

See contort in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb con·tort·ed, con·tort·ing, con·torts

verb, transitive

To twist, wrench, or bend severely out of shape: pain that contorted their faces.

verb, intransitive

To become twisted into a strained shape or expression. See Synonyms at distort.

Origin:

Origin: Latin contorquēre, contort-, to twist

Origin: : com-, intensive pref.; see com-

Origin: + torquēre, to twist; see terk^w- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

con·torˈtion noun

con·torˈtive adjective

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