contortĭo, ōnis, f. [contorqueo]. *
I A whirling round : dexterae, Auct. Her. 4, 19, 26 fin. —
II An intertwining, involving; intricacy, complication; of discourse, in the plur.: contortiones orationis, * Cic. Fat. 9, 17; Aug. Retract. 1, 50.
contortiō ōnis, f com-+TARC-, a whirling : dexterae, Her. — Intricacy, complication : contortione...
An Elementary Latin Dictionary