[tor.tu.ous] adj [ME, fr. MF tortueux, fr. L tortuosus, fr. tortus twist, fr. torquere to twist] (15c) 1: marked by repeated twists, bends, or turns: winding "a ~ path"
2. a: marked by devious or indirect tactics: crooked, tricky "a ~ conspiracy" b: circuitous, involved "the ~ jargon of legal forms" -- tor.tu.ous.ly adv -- tor.tu.ous.ness n