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Torment; pain. [Obs.] Bacon.

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.

One who makes or practices contortions.

The act of detorting, or the state of being detorted; a twisting or warping.

g, or twisting out of natural or regular shape; a twisting or writhing motion; as, the distortions of the face or body.

The act of extorting; the act or practice of wresting anything from a person by force, by threats, or by any undue exercise of power; undue exaction; overcharge.

Extortionate.

Characterized by extortion; oppressive; hard.

, One who practices extortion.

See Intorsion.

It was, however, necessary to possess some single term expressive of this intellectual retortion. Sir W. Hamilton.

hings expedient for us to do. Barrow. Uplifted hands that at convenient times Could act extortion and the worst of crimes. Cowper.

upon; -- now commonly used in the passive TO be aggrieved. Aggrieved by oppression and extortion. Macaulay.

Pain so extreme as to cause writhing or contortions of the body, similar to those made in the athletic contests in Greece; and hence, extreme pain of mind or body; anguish; paroxysm of grief; specifically, the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly. Luke xxii. 44.…

Paralysis of the facial nerve, producing distortion of one side of the face.

Payment of money exacted by means of intimidation; also, extortion of money from a person by threats of public accusation, exposure, or censure.

A hard and exacting master, landlord, or money lender; an extortioner.

sembling a small boot furnished with straps, buckles, etc., used to correct or prevent distortions in the lower extremities of children. Dunglison.

cture into triangular parts. It may act as a tie, or as a strut, and serves to prevent distortion of the structure, and transverse strains in its members. A boiler brace is a diagonal stay, connecting the head with the shell.

Robbery; extortion. [Obs.]