a. [ As if fr. abstort, fr. L. ab, abs + tortus, p. p. of torquere to twist. ] Wrested away. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. bis + tortus, p. p. of torquere to twist: cf. F. bistorte. ] (Bot.) An herbaceous plant of the genus Polygonum, section Bistorta; snakeweed; adderwort. Its root is used in medicine as an astringent. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. contortus, p. p. of contorquere to twist; con- + torquere to twist. See Torture. ] To twist, or twist together; to turn awry; to bend; to distort; to wrest. [ 1913 Webster ]

The vertebral arteries are variously contorted. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

Kant contorted the term category from the proper meaning of attributed. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Twisted, or twisted together. “A contorted chain of icicles.” Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) (a) Twisted back upon itself, as some parts of plants. (b) Arranged so as to overlap each other; as, petals in contorted or convolute æstivation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. contortio: cf. F. contorsion. See Contort, and cf. Torsion. ] A twisting; a writhing; wry motion; a twist; as, the contortion of the muscles of the face. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the contortions of the sibyl, without the inspiration. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes or practices contortions; especially, a gymnast who is able to twist the limbs into positions impossible for normal people to achieve. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. Expressing contortion. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. contortuplicatus; contortus contorted + plicare to fold. ] (Bot.) Plaited lengthwise and twisted in addition, as the bud of the morning-glory. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Detorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Detorting. ] [ L. detortus, p. p. of detorquere to turn away; de + torquere to turn about, twist: cf. F. détorquer, détordre. ] To turn form the original or plain meaning; to pervert; to wrest. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of detorting, or the state of being detorted; a twisting or warping. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. distortus, p. p. of distorquere to twist, distort; dis- + torquere to twist. See Torsion. ] Distorted; misshapen. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Her face was ugly and her mouth distort. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Distorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Distorting. ] 1. To twist of natural or regular shape; to twist aside physically; as, to distort the limbs, or the body. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whose face was distorted with pain. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To force or put out of the true posture or direction; to twist aside mentally or morally. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wrath and malice, envy and revenge, do darken and distort the understandings of men. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To wrest from the true meaning; to pervert; as, to distort passages of Scripture, or their meaning.

Syn. -- To twist; wrest; deform; pervert. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, distorts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. distortio: cf. F. distortion. ] 1. The act of distorting, or twisting out of natural or regular shape; a twisting or writhing motion; as, the distortions of the face or body. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A wresting from the true meaning. Bp. Wren. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The state of being distorted, or twisted out of shape or out of true position; crookedness; perversion. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Med.) An unnatural deviation of shape or position of any part of the body producing visible deformity. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Causing distortion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. entortiller to twist; pref. en- (L. in) + tortiller to twist. ] A turning into a circle; round figures. [ Obs. ] Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Extorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Extorting. ] [ L. extortus, p. p. of extorquere to twist or wrench out, to extort; ex out + torquere to turn about, twist. See Torsion. ] 1. To wrest from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity; to wrench away (from); to tear away; to wring (from); to exact; as, to extort contributions from the vanquished; to extort confessions of guilt; to extort a promise; to extort payment of a debt. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) To get by the offense of extortion. See Extortion, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To practice extortion. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. p. & a. [ L. extortus. p. p. ] Extorted. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who practices extortion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. extorsion. ] 1. The act of extorting; the act or practice of wresting anything from a person by force, by threats, or by any undue exercise of power; undue exaction; overcharge. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) The offense committed by an officer who corruptly claims and takes, as his fee, money, or other thing of value, that is not due, or more than is due, or before it is due. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is extorted or exacted by force.

Syn. -- Oppression; rapacity; exaction; overcharge. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Extortionate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Characterized by extortion; oppressive; hard. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who practices extortion; an extortionist. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who practices extortion.
Syn. -- extortioner. [ PJC ]

a. Extortionate. [ Obs. ] “Extortious cruelties.” Bp. Hall -- Ex*tor"tious*ly, adv. [Obs.] Bacon. [1913 Webster]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Intorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Intorting. ] [ L. intortus, p. p. of intoquere to twist; pref. in- in + torquere to twist. ] To twist in and out; to twine; to wreathe; to wind; to wring. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Intorsion. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To torture beforehand. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Retorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Retorting. ] [ L. retortus, p. p. of retorquere; pref. re- re- + torquere to turn twist. See Torsion, and cf. Retort, n., 2. ] 1. To bend or curve back; as, a retorted line. [ 1913 Webster ]

With retorted head, pruned themselves as they floated. Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To throw back; to reverberate; to reflect. [ 1913 Webster ]

As when his virtues, shining upon others,
Heat them and they retort that heat again
To the first giver. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or incivility; as, to retort the charge of vanity. [ 1913 Webster ]

And with retorted scorn his back he turned. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To return an argument or a charge; to make a severe reply. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Retort, v. t. ] 1. The return of, or reply to, an argument, charge, censure, incivility, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or severe response. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is called the retort courteous. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ F. retorte (cf. Sp. retorta), fr. L. retortus, p. p. of retorquere. So named from its bent shape. See Retort, v. t. ] (Chem. & the Arts) A vessel in which substances are subjected to distillation or decomposition by heat. It is made of different forms and materials for different uses, as a bulb of glass with a curved beak to enter a receiver for general chemical operations, or a cylinder or semicylinder of cast iron for the manufacture of gas in gas works. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tubulated retort (Chem.), a retort having a tubulure for the introduction or removal of the substances which are to be acted upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Repartee; answer. -- Retort, Repartee. A retort is a short and pointed reply, turning back on an assailant the arguments, censure, or derision he had thrown out. A repartee is usually a good-natured return to some witty or sportive remark. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who retorts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. rétorsion. See Retort, v. t. ] 1. Act of retorting or throwing back; reflection or turning back. [ Written also retorsion. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

It was, however, necessary to possess some single term expressive of this intellectual retortion. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) Retaliation. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Containing retort. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of inflicting pain on one's self; pain inflicted on one's self. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Norw. storting; stor great + ting court, court of justice; cf. Dan. ting, thing. ] The Parliament of Norway, chosen by indirect election once in three years, but holding annual sessions. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., from LL. tortum, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, p. p. of torqure to twist, bend. See Torture. ] 1. Mischief; injury; calamity. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

That had them long opprest with tort. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) Any civil wrong or injury; a wrongful act (not involving a breach of contract) for which an action will lie; a form of action, in some parts of the United States, for a wrong or injury. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖
Executor de son tort. See under Executor. --
Tort feasor (Law), a wrongdoer; a trespasser. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Stretched tight; taut. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet holds he them with tortest rein. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Sp. torta a cake. ] (Metal.) a flat heap of moist, crushed silver ore, prepared for the patio process. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Torteaus [ Of. torteau, tortel, from L. tortus twisted. See Tort. ] (Her.) A roundel of a red color. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. toricolis; L. torquere, tortum, to twist + collum the neck. ] (Med.) See Wryneck. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. tortilis, fr. torquere, tortum, to twist: cf. F. tortile. ] Twisted; wreathed; coiled. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being tortile, twisted, or wreathed. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Sp. ] An unleavened cake, as of maize flour, baked on a heated iron or stone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. tortio. See Torsion. ] Torment; pain. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ From Tort. ] 1. Injurious; wrongful. [ Obs. ] “Tortious power.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) Imploying tort, or privat injury for which the law gives damages; involing tort. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. (Law) In a tortous manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. tortus, p. p. of torquere to twist, wind. ] Twisted; wreathed. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. tortuce, fr. OF. tortis crooked, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere, tortum, to wind; cf. F. tortue tortoise, LL. tortuca, tartuca, Pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called in allusion to its crooked feet. See Torture. ] 1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of reptiles of the order Testudinata. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The term is applied especially to the land and fresh-water species, while the marine species are generally called turtles, but the terms tortoise and turtle are used synonymously by many writers. See Testudinata, Terrapin, and Turtle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Rom. Antiq.) Same as Testudo, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

Box tortoise,
Land tortoise, etc. See under Box, Land, etc. --
Painted tortoise. (Zool.) See Painted turtle, under Painted. --
Soft-shell tortoise. (Zool.) See Trionyx. --
Spotted tortoise. (Zool.) A small American fresh-water tortoise (Chelopus guttatus or Nanemys guttatus) having a blackish carapace on which are scattered round yellow spots. --
Tortoise beetle (Zool.), any one of numerous species of small tortoise-shaped beetles. Many of them have a brilliant metallic luster. The larvae feed upon the leaves of various plants, and protect themselves beneath a mass of dried excrement held over the back by means of the caudal spines. The golden tortoise beetle (Cassida aurichalcea) is found on the morning-glory vine and allied plants. --
Tortoise plant. (Bot.) See Elephant's foot, under Elephant. --
Tortoise shell, the substance of the shell or horny plates of several species of sea turtles, especially of the hawkbill turtle. It is used in inlaying and in the manufacture of various ornamental articles. --
Tortoise-shell butterfly (Zool.), any one of several species of handsomely colored butterflies of the genus Aglais, as Aglais Milberti, and Aglais urticae, both of which, in the larva state, feed upon nettles. --
Tortoise-shell turtle (Zool.), the hawkbill turtle. See Hawkbill. [ 1913 Webster ]