Contorsion
(Con*tor"sion) n. See Contortion.
Contort
(Con*tort") 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.
The vertebral arteries are variously contorted.
Ray.
Kant contorted the term category from the proper meaning of attributed.
Sir W. Hamilton.
Contorted
(Con*tort"ed), a.
1. Twisted, or twisted together. "A contorted chain of icicles." Massinger.
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.
Contortion
(Con*tor"tion) 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.
All the contortions of the sibyl, without the inspiration.
Burke.
Contortionist
(Con*tor"tion*ist), n. One who makes or practices contortions.
Contortive
(Con*tor"tive) a. Expressing contortion.
Contortuplicate
(Con`tor*tu"pli*cate) a. [L. contortuplicatus; contortus contorted + plicare to fold.]
(Bot.) Plaited lengthwise and twisted in addition, as the bud of the morning-glory. Gray.
Contour
(Con*tour") n. [F. contour, fr. contourner to mark the outlines; con- + tourner to turn. See
Turn.]
1. The outline of a figure or body, or the line or lines representing such an outline; the line that bounds; periphery.
Titian's coloring and contours.
A. Drummond.
2. (Mil.) The outline of a horizontal section of the ground, or of works of fortification.
Contour feathers (Zoöl.), those feathers that form the general covering of a bird. — Contour of ground
(Surv.), the outline of the surface of ground with respect to its undulation, etc. — Contour line (Topographical
Suv.), the line in which a horizontal plane intersects a portion of ground, or the corresponding
line in a map or chart.
Contourné'
(||Con`tour`né') a. [F., p. p. of contourner to twist.] (Her.) Turned in a direction which is not
the usual one; — said of an animal turned to the sinister which is usually turned to the dexter, or the like.
Contourniated
(Con*tour"ni*a`ted) a. [Cf. Contorniate.] (Numis.) Having furrowed edges, as if turned
in a lathe.
Contra
(Con"tra) A Latin adverb and preposition, signifying against, contrary, in opposition, etc., entering
as a prefix into the composition of many English words. Cf. Counter, adv. & pref.
Contraband
(Con"tra*band) n. [It. contrabando; contra + bando ban, proclamation: cf. F. contrebande.
See Ban an edict.]
1. Illegal or prohibited traffic.
Persons the most bound in duty to prevent contraband, and the most interested in the seizures.
Burke.
