עָוַת (b. h.; v. עָוָה) to be curved, crooked.
Pi. - עִוֵּת, עִיֵּות 1) to pervert, wrest; to corrupt. Num. R. s. 10 מתוך כך … ומְעַוְּותִין את הדין in consequence (of drinking) they cause the Law to be forgotten, and they pervert judgment. Nidd. 10ᵇ אין בודקות … מפני שמְעַוְּותוֹת אותן (not בודקין) they (the women) must not examine them (the young girls) with the fingers, because they may corrupt them (teach them unnatural gratification; Rashi: they may wound them).—Koh. R. to I, 15 (ref. to מעות ib.) אם אין אדם מְעַוֵּות עצמו מדברי תורה וכ׳ as long as a person (though doing wrong) does not pervert himself through wilful misinterpretation of the Law, there is a remedy for him; משאדם מעוות וכ׳ but as soon as a person perverts himself &c.; a. fr.—Nidd. 12ᵇ (adapting Koh. l. c.) הן עִוְּתוּהָ הן תקנוה they make her crooked (the evidence on the cloths will make her unfit for marital intercourse), and they make her straight (if the evidence is favorable). —2) to offend, excite displeasure; wound the feelings of. Snh. 97ᵃ יְעַיֵּת; Der. Er. Zut. ch. X יְעַוֵּות shall be offensive, v. אָמַר II. Midr. Till. to Ps. CXIX, 78 אע"פ … מְעַוְּתִים אותי וכ׳ although the wicked insult me, I do not abandon the Law. —3) to render offensive, loathsome. Sifré Deut. 1; Yalk. ib. 792 למה אתה מְעַוֵּות עלינו וכ׳ why dost thou make the Scriptures loathsome to us (by absurd interpretations)?—Part. pass. מְעֻוָּת, מְעוּוָּת; f. מְעוֶּוּתֶת; pl. מְעוּוָּתִים, מְעוּוָּתִין; מְעִוּוָּתוֹת, מְעֻוָּ׳ crooked, perverted, perverse. Koh. R. l. c. בעולם הזה מי שהוא מע׳ וכ׳ in this world, he who is crooked may be straightened again (a sinner may amend his ways) &c. Ex. R. s. 2, beg. (ref. to עלילות, Ps. CIII, 7, in contrast to Deut. XXII, 14) [read:] בשר ודם עלילותיו מע׳ וכ׳ the ʿăliloth (machinations) of man are perverse …, but the ʿăliloth (dispositions) of the Lord are merciful; a. e.