ˈtȯrshən, -ȯ(ə)sh- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Late Latin tors us (past participle of Latin torquēre to twist) + English -ion — more at torture
1. : the act of turning or twisting : the state of being twisted : the twisting or wrenching of a body by the exertion of forces tending to turn one end or part about a longitudinal axis while the other is held fast or turned in the opposite direction
2. : the limit of the ratio of the angle between the binormals at two points of a curve to the length of the arc joining the points as the length of the arc approaches zero — called also second curvature
3. : the reactive torque that an elastic solid exerts by reason by being under torsion
4. : the twisting of a body organ on its own axis
the torsion of a loop of intestine around its own mesentery
Synonyms: see stress