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, or tends to return, to a state of rest after it has been twisted; torsibility. Angle of torsion (of a curve) (Geom.), the indefinitely small angle between two consecutive osculating planes of a curve of double curvature. -- Moment of torsion (Mech.) the moment of a pair of equal and opposite couples which tend to tw…

A torsion balance used for measuring electric attraction or repulsion.

A galvanometer in which current is measured by torsion.

That part of a torsion balance from which the wire or filament is suspended.

An autographic torsion meter.

An instrument for determining the torque on a shaft, and hence the horse power of an engine, esp. of a marine engine of high power, by measuring the amount of twist of a given length of the shaft. Called also torsimeter, torsiometer, torsometer.

Of or pertaining to torsion; resulting from torsion, or the force with which a thread or wire returns to a state of rest after having been twisted round its axis; as, torsional force.

The twisting of an artery with a needle to arrest hemorrhage.

See Contortion.

Same as Detortion.

A winding, bending, or twisting.

Same as Retortion.

tion of the temperature of rooms warmed artificially, and as a fire alarm. -- Balance of torsion. See Torsion Balance. -- Balance of trade (Pol. Econ.), an equilibrium between the money values of the exports and imports of a country; or more commonly, the amount required on one side or the other to make such an equil…

See Intorsion.

Act of retorting or throwing back; reflection or turning back. [Written also retorsion.] It was, however, necessary to possess some single term expressive of this intellectual retortion. Sir W. Hamilton.

That which tends to produce torsion; a couple of forces. J. Thomson.

turning one part relatively to another about an axis passing through both; to subject to torsion; as, to twist a shaft.

Contorted; crooked spirally; subjected to torsion; hence, perverted. Twisted curve (Geom.), a curve of double curvature. See Plane curve, under Curve. -- Twisted surface (Geom.), a surface described by a straight line moving according to any law whatever, yet so that the consecutive positions of the line shall not be…