Hypertext Webster Gateway: "distort"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Distort \Dis*tort"\, a. [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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Distort \Dis*tort"\, 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.
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.
3. To wrest from the true meaning; to pervert; as, to distort
passages of Scripture, or their meaning.
Syn: To twist; wrest; deform; pervert.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
distort
v 1: make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or
story [syn: {falsify}, {garble}, {warp}]
2: form into a spiral shape; "The cord is all twisted" [syn: {twist},
{twine}] [ant: {untwist}]
3: twist and press out of shape [syn: {contort}, {deform}, {wring}]
4: distort; "My personal feelings color my judgment in this
case" [syn: {color}, {colour}]
5: alter the shape of (something) by stress; "His body was
deformed by leprosy" [syn: {deform}, {strain}]
6: spoil the appearance of; "The vandals disfigured the statue"
[syn: {disfigure}]
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