- (usually disapproving)
not simple and direct; long, complicated and difficult to understand 拐弯抹角的；含混不清的；冗长费解的 tortuous language 含混不清的语言 the long, tortuous process of negotiating peace 漫长而曲折的和平谈判过程
Extra ExamplesHer explanation was somewhat tortuous. 她的解释有些曲折。 Do they actually understand all the tortuous laws and regulations they have to administer? 他们真的了解他们必须管理的所有曲折的法律和法规吗？
(of a road, path, etc. 道路、小径等 full of bends 弯弯曲曲的；逶迤的；蜿蜒的 a tortuous mountain track 曲折的山路 We went by a rather tortuous route. 我们走了一条相当曲折的路线。
Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from Latin tortuosus, from tortus ‘twisting, a twist’, from Latin torquere ‘to twist’.