distortion

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The act or an instance of distorting.
2. n. The condition of being distorted.
3. n. A statement that twists fact; a misrepresentation.
4. n. A change in the shape of an image resulting from imperfections in an optical system, such as a lens.
5. n. Electronics An undesired change in the waveform of signal.
6. n. Electronics A consequence of such a change, especially a lack of fidelity in reception or reproduction.
7. n. Psychology The modification of unconscious impulses into forms acceptable by conscious or dreaming perception.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of distorting. A forcible alteration of the shape of a body by twisting or wresting; the change of any shape from the proper or natural one to an improper or unnatural one; the representation of a visible object by an image of an altered shape.
2. n. In mathematics, any change of shape not involving a breach of continuity. But a mere alteration of size in the same ratio in all directions is not considered to be a distortion.
3. n. A twisting or writhing motion: as, the facial distortions of a sufferer.
4. n. The state of being twisted out of shape; a deviation from the natural or regular shape or position; an unnatural direction of parts, from whatever cause.
5. n. A perversion of the true meaning or intent.

Wiktionary

1. n. An act of distorting.
2. n. A result of distorting.
3. n. A misrepresentation of the truth.
4. n. Noise or other artifacts caused in the electronic reproduction of sound or music.
5. n. An effect used in music, most commonly on guitars in rock or metal.
6. n. optics an aberration that causes magnification to change over the field of view.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of distorting, or twisting out of natural or regular shape; a twisting or writhing motion.
2. n. A wresting from the true meaning.
3. n. The state of being distorted, or twisted out of shape or out of true position; crookedness; perversion.
4. n. (Med.) An unnatural deviation of shape or position of any part of the body producing visible deformity.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image
2. n. a shape resulting from distortion
3. n. a change for the worse
4. n. the mistake of misrepresenting the facts
5. n. a change (usually undesired) in the waveform of acoustic or analog electrical signal; the difference between two measurements of a signal (as between the input and output signal)
6. n. the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean