Tortuous vs Diffuse - What's the difference?
tortuous | diffuse |
Twisted; having many turns; convoluted.
* 2007 October 6, “Slogging on the Home Front”, editorial in ,
* Macaulay
(obsolete) injurious; tortious
(astrology) oblique; applied to the six signs of the zodiac (from Capricorn to Gemini) that ascend most rapidly and obliquely
* Skeat
To spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.
* Whewell
To be spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.
Everywhere or throughout everything; not focused or concentrated.
As an adjective tortuous
is twisted; having many turns; convoluted.As a verb diffuse is
.tortuous
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- It still takes almost half a year for the average veteran’s claim for disability benefits to be decided in a tortuous process that can involve four separate hearings.
- The badger made his dark and tortuous hole on the side of every hill where the copsewood grew thick.
- Infortunate ascendent tortuous .
Usage notes
* This term has strongly negative connotations, perhaps transferred from the similar-sounding adjective torturous . * Not to be confused with the legal term tortious .diffuse
English
Etymology 1
(etyl), from (etyl) diffusus, past participle ofVerb
(diffus)- We find this knowledge diffused among all civilized nations.
- Food coloring diffuses in water.
- The riot diffused quite suddenly.
Derived terms
* diffuserEtymology 2
(etyl) diffususAdjective
(en adjective)- Such a diffuse effort is unlikely to produce good results.