torqueō (old inf. torquērier, H., Pr.), torsī, tortus, ēre TARC-, to turn, turn about, turn away, twist, bend, wind: cervices oculosque: ab obscenis sermonibus aurem, H.: ad sonitum vocis vestigia, V.: ferro capillos, i. e. curl, O.: stamina pollice, spin, O.: tenui praegnatem pollice fusum, Iu.: taxos in arcūs, bend, V.: tegumen torquens inmane leonis, wrapping about him, V.: cum terra circum axem se torqueat.

—Poet.: torquet medios nox umida cursūs, i. e. has half-finished, V.

—To whirl around, whirl, wield, brandish, fling with force, hurl: hastas lacertis: lapidem, H.: amnis torquet sonantia saxa, V.: in hunc hastam, O.: telum aurata ad tempora, V.: sibila, i. e. hiss, Pr.

—To twist awry, misplace, turn aside, distort: quae (festinationes) cum fiant . . . ora torquentur: ora Tristia temptantum sensu (sapor) torquebit amaro, V.

—To wrench on the rack, put to the rack, rack, torture: eculeo torqueri.

—Fig., to twist, wrest, distort, turn, bend, direct: suam naturam huc et illuc: oratio ita flexibilis, ut sequatur, quocumque torqueas: verbo ac litterā ius omne.

—To rack, torment, torture: te libidines torquent: mitto aurum coronarium, quod te diutissime torsit: equidem dies noctīsque torqueor: Torqueor, infesto ne vir ab hoste cadat, O.: Aeacus torquet umbras, examines, Iu.

—To ply, put to the test: (reges) dicuntur torquere mero, quem perspexisse laborant, H.

—Of speech, to hurl, fling: curvum sermone rotato enthymema, Iu.