a. rare. [ad. L. tortilis, f. tort-, ppl. stem of torquēre to twist: see -IL, -ILE.] Twisted, coiled; winding; capable of being twisted.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Gard. Cyrus, iii. 59. He … may observe it in the Tortile and tiring stroaks of Gnatworms.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., III. xxii. (1765), 227. The Arista is tortile, twisted, when it has a twisted Joint in the Middle.
1819. H. Busk, Vestriad, IV. 116. Each in her arms two fiery dragons holds, With slender limbs restrains the tortile folds.
1835. Ure, Philos. Manuf., 62. Tortile fabrics used for making webs of various kinds.
Hence Tortility, the quality of being tortile.
1835. Ure, Philos. Manuf., 62. Under tortility must likewise be considered … fulling, felting, and the manufacture of hats.
1846. Worcester cites Monthly Review.
