torsion
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Turning or twisting, or being twisted.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
tawrshuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈtɔɹʃən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The act of turning or twisting, or the state of being twisted; the twisting or wrenching of a body by the exertion of a lateral force tending to turn one end or part of it about a longitudinal axis, while the other is held fast or turned in the opposite direction.
surgery
The stopping of arterial haemorrhage in certain cases, by twisting the cut end of the artery.
mechanics
That force with which a thread, wire, or rod of any material returns, or tends to return, to a state of rest after it has been twisted; torsibility.
verb
transitive
To subject to torsion.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Primarily written
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The act of turning or twisting, or the state of being twisted; the twisting or wrenching of a body by the exertion of a lateral force tending to turn one end or part of it about a longitudinal axis, while the other is held fast or turned in the opposite direction.
Used this way, torsion is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Nearby words
- torque , a specialist term, precise but narrower
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Measuring instrument designed to measure small forces by the torsion they exert on a thin wire.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: turning or twisting
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