contos

{ ‖, n., [ It. contorniato, p. pr. of contorniare to make a circuit or outline, fr. contorno circuit, outline. See Contour. ] (Numis.) A species of medal or medallion of bronze, having a deep furrow on the contour or edge; -- supposed to have been struck in the days of Constantine and his successors. R. S. Poole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Contortion. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The vertebral arteries are variously contorted. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

Kant contorted the term category from the proper meaning of attributed. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Twisted, or twisted together. “A contorted chain of icicles.” Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the contortions of the sibyl, without the inspiration. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes or practices contortions; especially, a gymnast who is able to twist the limbs into positions impossible for normal people to achieve. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. Expressing contortion. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. contortuplicatus; contortus contorted + plicare to fold. ] (Bot.) Plaited lengthwise and twisted in addition, as the bud of the morning-glory. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Titian's coloring and contours. A. Drummond. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) The outline of a horizontal section of the ground, or of works of fortification. [ 1913 Webster ]

Contour feathers (Zool.), 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖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. [ 1913 Webster ]