Part 2356

<i>R. S. Poole.</i>

<h1>Contorsion</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tor"sion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>See <er>Contortion</er>.</def>

<h1>Contort</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tort"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>contortus</ets>, p.p. of <ets>contorquere</ets> to twist; <ets>con-</ets> + <ets>torquere</ets> to twist. See <er>Torture</er>.]</ety> <def>To twist, or twist together; to turn awry; to bend; to distort; to wrest.</def>

<blockquote>The vertebral arteries are variously <b>contorted</b>. <i>Ray.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Kant <b>contorted</b> the term category from the proper meaning of attributed. <i>Sir W. Hamilton.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Contorted</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tort"ed</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Twisted, or twisted together.</def> "A <i>contorted</i> chain of icicles."

<i>Massinger.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>Twisted back upon itself, as some parts of plants.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>Arranged so as to overlap each other; <as>as, petals in <ex>contorted</ex> or convolute \'91stivation</as>.</def>

<h1>Contortion</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tor"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>contortio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>contorsion</ets>. See <er>Contort</er>, and cf. <er>Torsion</er>.]</ety> <def>A twisting; a writhing; wry motion; a twist; <as>as, the <ex>contortion</ex> of the muscles of the face</as>.</def>

<i>Swift.</i>

<blockquote>All the <b>contortions</b> of the sibyl, without the inspiration. <i>Burke.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Contertionist</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*ter"tion*ist</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who makes or practices contortions.</def>

<h1>Contortive</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tor"tive</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Expressing contortion.</def>

<h1>Contortuplicate</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con`tor*tu"pli*cate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>contortuplicatus</ets>; <ets>contortus</ets> contorted + <ets>plicare</ets> to fold.]</ety> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>Plaited lengthwise and twisted in addition, as the bud of the morning-glory.</def>

<i>Gray.</i>

<h1>Contour</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tour"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>contour</ets>, fr. <ets>contourner</ets> to mark the outlines; <ets>con-</ets> + <ets>tourner</ets> to turn. See <er>Turn</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The outline of a figure or body, or the line or lines representing such an outline; the line that bounds; periphery.</def>

<blockquote>Titian's coloring and <b>contours</b>. <i>A. Drummond.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Mil.)</fld> <def>The outline of a horizontal section of the ground, or of works of fortification.</def>

<cs><col>Contour feathers</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>those feathers that form the general covering of a bird.</cd> -- <col>Contour of ground</col> <fld>(Surv.)</fld>, <cd>the outline of the surface of ground with respect to its undulation, etc.</cd> -- <col>Contour line</col> <fld>(Topographical Suv.)</fld>, <cd>the line in which a horizontal plane intersects a portion of ground, or the corresponding line in a map or chart.</cd></cs>

<h1>Contourn\'82'</h1> <Xpage=314>