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Webster 1913 Edition


Distort

Dis-tort′

,
Adj.
[L.
distortus
, p. p. of
distorquere
to twist, distort;
dis-
+
torquere
to twist. See
Torsion
.]
Distorted; misshapen.
[Obs.]
Her face was ugly and her mouth
distort
.
Spenser.

Dis-tort′

,
Verb.
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
.
Whose face was
distorted
with pain.
Thackeray.
2.
To force or put out of the true posture or direction; to twist aside mentally or morally.
Wrath and malice, envy and revenge, do darken and
distort
the understandings of men.
Tillotson.
Syn. – To twist; wrest; deform; pervert.

Webster 1828 Edition


Distort

DISTORT

,
Verb.
T.
[L., to twist.]
1.
To twist out of natural or regular shape; as, to distort the neck, the limbs or the body; to distort the features.
2.
To force or put out of the true posture or direction.
Wrath and malice, envy and revenge distort the understanding.
3.
To wrest from the true meaning; to pervert; as, to distort passages of scripture, or their meaning.

DISTORT

,
Adj.
Distorted.