"to twist or wrench out of shape," early 15c. (in medical use, Chauliac, implied in contorted), from Latin contortus, past participle of contorquere "to whirl, twist together," from assimilated form of com- "with, together," here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-) + torquere "to twist" (see torque (n.)). Related: Contorting.

1580s, "twist the true meaning, pervert the truth regarding," from Latin distortus, past participle of distorquere "to twist different ways, distort," from dis- "completely" (see dis-) + torquere "to twist" (see torque (n.)). In English the literal sense of "to twist or wrest out of shape, change from the proper to an improper or unnatural shape" is attested from 1630s. Related: Distorted; distorting.

1520s, "obtain by force or compulsion; wrest away by oppressive means," from Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere "obtain by force," literally "to wrench out," from ex "out" (see ex-) + torquere "to twist" (see torque (n.)). Related: Extorted; extorting.

It is attested in English as a past-participle adjective from early 15c. Cockeram's "English Dictionarie" (1623) has extorque (v.) "to wrest from one perforce."

"the act of extorting, the act or of wresting anything from a person by force, duress, menace, authority, or any undue exercise of power, oppressive or illegal exaction," c. 1300, extorcioun, from Latin extortionem (nominative extortio) "a twisting out, extorting," noun of action from past-participle stem of extorquere "wrench out, wrest away, to obtain by force," from ex "out" (see ex-) + torquere "to twist" (see torque (n.)).

name given to various plants of the mustard family, including watercress, late Old English nasturtium, nasturcium, from Latin nasturtium "cress;" the popular etymology explanation of the name (Pliny) is that it is from Latin *nasitortium, literally "nose-twist," from nasus "nose" (from PIE root *nas- "nose") + past participle of torquere "to twist" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist"); the plant so called for its somewhat acrid odor. Modern application to a South American trailing plant with orange flowers is recorded from 1704.

c. 1500, "strange, peculiar, odd, eccentric," from Scottish, perhaps from Low German (Brunswick dialect) queer "oblique, off-center," which is related to German quer "oblique, perverse, odd," from Old High German twerh "oblique" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist"). For the suggested sense evolution, compare cross (adj.). But OED is against this etymology on grounds of timing and sense.

The meaning "appearing, feeling, or behaving otherwise than is usual or normal" is by 1781. The colloquial sense of "open to suspicion, doubtful as to honesty" is by 1740. As a slang noun, "counterfeit money," by 1812; to shove the queer (1859) was "to pass counterfeit money. Queer Street (1811) was the imaginary place where persons in difficulties and shady characters lived, hence, in cant generally, "contrary to one's wishes."

Sense of "homosexual" is attested by 1922; the noun in this sense is 1935, from the adjective. Related: Queerly. Queer studies as an academic discipline is attested from 1994.

Among the entries in the 1811 "Lexicon Balatronicum" are: Queer as Dick's Hatband "Out of order without knowing one's disease"; Queer Bitch "An odd out of the way fellow"; Queer Ken "A prison"; Queer Mort "A diseased strumpet"; Queer Rooster "An informer that pretends to be sleeping and thereby overhears the conversation of thieves in nightcellars."

1550s, "make return in kind" (especially of an injury), from Old French retort and directly from Latin retortus, past participle of retorquere "turn back, twist back, throw back," from re- "back" (see re-) + torquere "to twist" (see torque (n.)). Applied to exchanges of jest or sarcasm by c. 1600, hence "say or utter sharply and aggressively in reply" (1620s). Related: Retorted; retorting.

late 14c., thwert, "from side to side, across, transversely; crosswise, across the grain," earlier in the same sense thwertover (c. 1200), overthwert (c. 1300), from a Scandinavian source, probably Old Norse þvert "across," originally neuter of thverr (adj.) "transverse, across," from Proto-Germanic *thwerh- "twisted, oblique," which according to Watkins is from PIE root *terkw- "to twist."

It is thus cognate with Old English þweorh "transverse, perverse, angry, cross," and the Proto-Germanic word also is the source of Middle Dutch dwers, Dutch dwars "cross-grained, contrary," Old High German twerh, German quer, Gothic þwairhs "angry."

The spelling shifted to -a- from 15c. From mid-13c. as an adjective, "contrary, stubborn, obstinate;" earlier overthwert, thwertover "blatant, outright" (c. 1200). As a preposition from early 15c., "across, athwart, from one side to the other."

mid-13c., torche, "light to be carried in the hand," formed of some flammable material, also sometimes of a large wax or tallow candle; from Old French torche "torch," also "handful of straw" (for wiping or cleaning; hence French torcher "to wipe, wipe down").

This is said to be (Watkins) probably from Vulgar Latin *torca, alteration of Late Latin torqua, from Latin torquere "to twist" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist"). The original sense would be "twisted thing," then "torch formed of twisted tow dipped in wax."

In British English the word is applied as well to the battery-driven version (in U.S., a flashlight). By 1620s as figurative of a source of light or guidance. By 1938 in slang sense of "an arsonist."

To pass the torch is an ancient metaphor from the Greek torch-races (lampadedromia) held at certain festivals, sometimes as relays. The prize went to the one to reach the finish line first with the torch still burning. The modern figurative use of hand (or pass) the torch (late 19c.) is typically in reference to a tradition, especially one of enlightenment.

Torch-bearer in the literal sense is by early 15c.; as "leader of a cause" from 1530s. An inverted torch signified the end of life or served as an emblem of death, from Greek representations of Thanatos. 

Torch song is attested by 1927 ("My Melancholy Baby," performed by Tommy Lyman, is said to have been the first so called), from the colloquial phrase carry a torch "suffer an unrequited love" (also 1927), Broadway slang, but the sense is obscure. Carrying torches was a common activity in late 19c. p0litical events and carry a torch for is attested colloquially by 1923 as "support politically."

Who remembers the old fashioned politician who considered it a privilege to be allowed to carry a torch in the parade on the Saturday night before election. [Watonga (Oklahoma) Herald, Aug. 6, 1925]

c. 1300, "the systematic inflicting of torture," also "state of great suffering; agony, anguish," physical or mental, also "a cause of physical or mental suffering;" from Old French torment "torture, pain, anguish, suffering distress" (11c., Modern French tourment), from Latin tormentum "twisted cord, sling; clothes-press; instrument for hurling stones," also "instrument of torture, a rack," figuratively "anguish, pain, torment," from torquere "to twist" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist"). The Latin instrument of war sense also was in Middle English.