twisticaladj.
/ˈtwɪstɪkəl/ colloquial.
Somewhat twisted or crooked; figurative not straight or plain in character; morally or mentally tortuous.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > crookedness > [adjective]
crooked?c1225
sinister?1455
indirect1570
undirect1594
involved1612
obliquous1614
unstraight1650
back-handed1800
tortuous1801
twistical1805
louche1819
hooky-crooky1833
underhand1842
twisty1857
underhanded1864
bent1914
society > morality > moral evil > lack of principle or integrity > [adjective] > not straightforward
crooked?c1225
indirect1570
undirect1594
involved1612
unstraight1650
obliquous1757
tortuous1801
twistical1805
louche1819
hooky-crooky1833
sinuous1850
twisty1905
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > evasive deception, shiftiness > [adjective] > double-dealing
twifoldc897
doublea1340
twice-sworn1542
ambidexter1549
double-hearteda1555
double-faced1574
doubling1581
double-dealing1587
twi-faced1635
two-faceda1640
ambidextrous1646
double-headed1646
two-hearteda1656
ambidextral1665
twistical1805
twistifying1845
twistified1872
duplicitous1958
the world > space > direction > [adjective] > bending or winding
winding1555
straying1585
crankling1596
meandrian1608
tortive1609
meandered1612
serpentine1615
snailing1615
meandering1617
meandrous1639
meandric1658
wandering1667
wimpling1721
spiral1796
circumvolutory1834
wormy1869
twistering1872
twistified1872
twistical1890
the world > space > shape > curvature > series of curves > [adjective] > having many or winding curves
tortivous14..
anfractuous?a1425
tortuous1426
tortuea1500
snakish1532
winding1538
wormy1545
boughty1570
wriggled1572
sinuous1578
serpent-likea1586
crankled1594
serpent1597
snaky1600
flexuous1605
snaking1605
cringle-crangle1606
voluminous1611
serpenting?1614
serpentine1615
curvy1623
serpentizing1628
worming1631
lacinious1648
anguineous1656
anguine1657
anfractuose1680
twisting1683
vermicular1712
worm-like1721
flexuose1727
meandering1748
crinkum-crankum1766
serpentiform1777
serpentining1799
anguiform1800
ophite1828
tortuose1829
cranky1836
sinuose1836
serpentile1857
twisty1857
sinuated1859
vermiculatea1864
twinyc1868
tortive1880
crinkle-crankle1881
serpentinous1882
quirky1890
twistical1890
waggly1894
wriggly1901
squiggly1902
wiggly1903
contortionate1911
wig-waggy1914
curvaceous1965
1805 ‘C. Caustic’ Democracy Unveiled v. 158 Certain sages, learn'd and twistical... Have prov'd what's wonderful.
1815 D. Humphreys Yankey in Eng. 43 In his dealings with t'other sex, he is a leetle twistical.
1852 A. Ballou Spirit Manifest. Pref. 9 They are..prejudiced, captious, twistical.
1890 Harper's Mag. Feb. 449/1 It lay on the route to Edinburgh, at a rather twistical sort of corner.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
adj.1805