I.to twist, turn round, turn to; to wrench, sprain (class.).
I. Lit.: “mentum in dicendo,” to distort, Cic. de Or. 2, 66: “oculos,” Verg. G. 4, 451: “caulem,” Plin. 19, 6, 34, § 114: talum, to sprain, Auct. B. Hisp. 38: vereor, ne Pompeio quid oneris imponam, μή μοι Γοργείην κεφαλὴν δεινοῖο πελώρου intorqueat, Cic. Att. 9, 7, 3.—Pass. or with se, to twist or wrap itself: “involvulus, quae in pampini folio intorta implicat se,” Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 64: “cum subito ... procella nubibus intorsit sese,” Lucr. 6, 124: “ipsi palmites intorquentur,” Plin. 17, 22, 35, § 183. —
II. Transf.
A. To brandish, hurl, or throw towards: “hastam tergo,” to launch at its back, Verg. A. 2, 231: “jaculum alicui,” to hurl against one, id. ib. 10, 322; Ov. M. 5, 90; Sil. 1, 304: “telum,” Verg. A. 10, 381: “saxum,” Sil. 7, 623: “telum in hostem,” Verg. A. 10, 882; Sen. Ep. 45. —
B. To throw into confusion: “orationem,” Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 65; cf. “mores,” to corrupt, pervert, Pers. 5, 38.—
III. Trop., to cast upon, throw out against: “alternis versibus intorquentur inter fratres gravissimae contumeliae,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 36, 77: “vocem diram,” Sil. 11, 342.— Hence, intortus , a, um, P. a., twisted, wound; crisped, curled; trailed, prolonged; perplexed, involved; distorted, corrupted: “spirae modo,” Plin. 2, 25, 23, § 91: “intorto circa bracchium pallio,” wound about my arm, Petr. 80: “paludamentum,” wrapped round, Liv. 25, 16: “angues intorti capillis Eumenidum,” entwined, Hor. C. 2, 13, 35: “capilli,” curled, Mart. 8, 33; Sil. 3, 284: “sonus concisus, intortus,” Plin. 10, 29, 43, § 82: “noctuae intorto carmine occinunt,” App. Flor. 13: “rudentes,” twisted, made by twisting, Cat. 64, 235: “funes,” Ov. M. 3, 679 al.—Adv.: intortē , windingly, crookedly: “intortius,” Plin. 16, 16, 27, § 68.— Transf.: hoc dicere, August. de Nat. et Grat. 49.