contort

con·tort

verb

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

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.

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"contort." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Contort>.

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contort. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Contort

contort

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

Origin of contort

from Classical Latin contortus, past participle of contorquere, to whirl, twist from com-, together + torquere, to twist: see tort

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"contort." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Contort>.

APA Style

contort. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Contort

contort

verb

con·tort·ed, con·tort·ing, con·torts

verb

transitive

To twist, wrench, or bend out of proper or natural shape: fingers contorted by arthritis. See Synonyms at distort.
To cause to deviate from what is normal, proper, or accurate: The leaders of the movement contorted their own principles in trying to get what they wanted.

verb

intransitive

To become contorted: “Her face contorts with pain and horror, as if something deep inside her has been shattered” ( Rachel Simon )

Origin of contort

Latin contorquēre contort- to twist com- intensive pref. ; see com- . torquēre to twist ; see terk^w- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

con·tor′tion
noun

con·tor′tive
adjective

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.