27 March 2016
tortuous
[tawr-choo-uh s]
adjective
1. full of twists, turns, or bends; twisting, winding, or crooked:
a tortuous path.
2. not direct or straightforward, as in procedure or speech; intricate; circuitous:
tortuous negotiations lasting for months.
3. deceitfully indirect or morally crooked, as proceedings, methods, or policy; devious.
Origin of tortuous
Middle English, Latin
1350-1400; Middle English < Latin tortuōsus, equivalent to tortu (s) a twisting ( tor (quēre) to twist, bend + -tus suffix of v. action) + -ōsus -ous
Related forms
tortuously, adverb
tortuousness, noun
nontortuous, adjective
nontortuously, adverb
untortuous, adjective
Can be confused
tortuous, torturous (see usage note at torturous )
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
1. bent, sinuous, serpentine. 2. evasive, roundabout, indirect.
Usage note
See torturous.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for tortuous
Contemporary Examples
All of the various things I do I love doing, and occasionally I find them tortuous.
Bob Balaban: How I Write
Noah Charney
February 4, 2014
In 2011, after tortuous negotiations, a deal was struck for $1.2 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years.
Markets Approve of the Way U.S. Political System Handles Debt Problems
Robert Shapiro
January 2, 2013
The Quetta Shura official says the negotiations with the French were tortuous.
How the Taliban’s Hostages Were Freed
Sami Yousafzai, Ron Moreau
June 30, 2011
Anagram
roust out
tout ours
Today’s quote
Remember, when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received, only what you have given: a heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.
– St Francis of Assisi
On this day
27 March 1963 – birth of Quentin Tarantino, Hollywood producer, director and writer. He has developed a cult-following with movies such as Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, Natural Born Killers, Killing Zoe, True Romance, Four Rooms, From Dusk Till Dawn, Jackie Brown, Sin City, Hostel, Grindhouse, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained.
27 March 2001 – California electricity prices rise by up to 46% following the partial deregulation of the electricity system.