[f. as prec. + -ING2.] That twists, in various senses of the verb; turning; wringing or wrenching; curving, winding, crooked; † interlacing (obs.); involved.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xxiv. ¶ 1. [To] hinder the Press from working into a twisting Position.
1712. J. James, trans. Le Blond’s Gardening, 156. Borders that are twisting and circular.
1761. Young, Resignation, I. xxx. The twisting strings Of ardent hearts combin’d.
1835. R. Willis, Archit. Mid. Ages, vii. 74. The twisting form of the groin is disagreeable to the eye.
1872. H. W. Beecher, Lect. Preaching, ix. 178. Some long sentences are good, but not twisting ones.
1882. Daily Tel., 4 May. The longitudinal or twisting strain, such … as a ship receives when she is struck at the same moment by a heavy sea on the starboard quarter and a heavy sea on the port bow.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VI. 676. They [pains] may be aching, burning, twisting or shooting in character.
1902. F. T. Bidlake, in Cycl. Tour. Cl. Gaz., Aug., 360/1. Any further brake pressure put on by the lever will remain locked on by the twisting handle.
Hence Twistingly adv., in a twisting manner.
1731. In Bailey.
1844. Raleigh Register, 15 Jan., 3/3. This strange fact, the very scientific Mr. Botsford rather twistingly and knottily, however, proves on the authority of a dead man.
