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| Date: | 1400-1500 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Origin: | distortus, past participle of distorquere 'to twist out of shape' |
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dis‧tort
1 [intransitive and transitive] to change the appearance, sound, or shape of something so that it is strange or unclear : 
Tall buildings can distort radio signals.
Tall buildings can distort radio signals.2 [transitive] to report something in a way that is not completely true or correct : His account was badly distorted by the press.
His account was badly distorted by the press.3 [transitive] to change a situation from the way it would naturally be : an expensive subsidy which distorts the market
an expensive subsidy which distorts the market —distorted adjective: His face was distorted in anger.
His face was distorted in anger. —distortion
noun [uncountable and countable] a gross distortion of the facts
WORD FOCUS: change noun [uncountable and countable] a gross distortion of the facts
WORD FOCUS: change 
to change something: alter, adapt, adjust, amend, modify, revise, vary
to change a system or organization: restructure, reorganize, reform
to change something completely: transform, revolutionize
to change facts or information, or change what someone has said: twist, distort, misrepresent
easily changed: flexible, adaptable
impossible to change: fixed, final, irrevocable
➔ See also change
