to twist (something) out of shape
I saw a grim smile contort Mr Rochester's lips — Charlotte Brontë
to write or put (something) in a wordy, awkward, and unnatural way
his strange contorted sentences
said esp of a face or features: to twist in fury, agony, etc
contortion /-sh(ə)n/ noun
contortive /-tiv/ adj
[Latin contortus, past part. of contorquēre, from con- + torquēre to twist]