contortion Hear it!

contortion Definition

con·tor·tion (kən tôr′s̸hən)

noun

  1. a contorting or being contorted, esp. of the face or body
  2. a contorted condition or position

Etymology: ME contorsioun

contortion Related Forms

con·tor′·tive adjective

contortion Synonyms

contortion

n.

  1. Something contorted

    deformity, distortion, grimace, moue (French), pout, twist, torsion, mutilation, deformation, misproportion, wryness, crookedness, lopsidedness, misshapement, anamorphosis, malformation; see also knot 2.

  2. The act of distorting

    distortion, deforming, dislocating, twisting, warping, turning, bending, doubling, wrenching.

contortion Usage Examples

Preposition: of

body: He is not a man to teach you contortions of the body.

Converse of object

  • perform: Gavin wriggled forward, performed some contortions and disappeared.
  • require: Several styles seem to be emerging but they all require impressive contortions and plenty of time.
  • cause: There may also be grounds for discussing the present standards of equipment and whether they need to be altered to cause less strenuous contortions.
  • make: The dog helps us again by making similar contortions.
  • see: Seeing the various contortions being used makes me wince.
  • do: If you do some contortions you may glimpse a turbine at the bottom of the chamber at the entrance end.

Adjective modifier

  • frightful: Then with another frightful facial contortion he reimbedded the monocle.
  • facial: Or, simply watch the facial contortions for your own amusement.
  • intellectual: Chris: What are the intellectual contortions that you are talking about?
  • physical: And John Ramm, as his clerk Noggs, is subject to extraordinary physical contortions in his attempt to survive in a wicked world.
  • few: And so, as a substitute for my lack of technique, I do a few contortions.
  • bodily: Campbell's Betty Boo's bodily contortions when entering and exiting the stage is side splittingly funny.