twist words

twist (one's) words

To alter, distort, or misrepresent the intended meaning of something one has said or written. No, that's not what I meant—stop twisting my words around like that! You can't just twist the author's words to fit the agenda of your essay. The prosecutor kept twisting my words, trying to trap me into some kind of admission of guilt.
See also: twist, word
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

twist someone's words (around)

to restate someone's words inaccurately; to misrepresent what someone has said. Stop twisting my words around! Listen to what I am telling you! You are twisting my words again. That is not what I said!
See also: twist, word
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • twist (one's) words
  • wrest (someone or something) out of (someone or something)
  • wrench (someone or something) out of (someone or something)
  • wrench out of
  • take (something) out of context
  • turn (something) on its head
  • turn something on its head
  • stand (something) on its head
  • stand something on its head
  • stand/turn something on its head
References in periodicals archive
Moreno has been known in the media to twist words - like 'etneb' (bente or 20), 'takwarents' (kuwarenta or 40), 'posam' (sampu or 10) and being called 'Yorme' (mayor) - or introduce new terms like 'haciendero,' referring to informal settlers.
Let's discuss developmental and real issues, not twist words falsely to score cheap political points," he said in an oblique reference to his BJP and CPM rivals, who lambasted him on Twitter for insulting the fisherman community.
All will be viewed suspiciously by North Korea, and the government will attempt to twist words, deeds, and outcomes to support its fundamental premise.
Unfortunately, Lebanese politicians today have a different legacy when it comes to language, as they twist words to the letter in a foul war of semantics, introducing adjectives and superlatives that are far from the noble use of language that statesmen are expected to employ.
"Women really need to examine why they are so vitriolic towards other women - why they want to twist words, why they want to read about someone else in a negative light and why that feels good to them." Gwyneth Paltrow.
Gwyneth has now hit out at women who twist words. This from the lady who called breaking up a conscious uncoupling.
He's been resilient "Sir Malcolm Bruce, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, defends his leader against the critics "Women really need to examine why they are so vitriolic towards other women - why they want to twist words, why they want to read about someone else in a negative light and why that feels good to them"
There is something peculiar, if not downright absurd about how Zionists twist words and their meanings to always cement their position on that righteous pedestal made out of salt.
The more modern pieces in this exhibition are not quite so - they show off the artist's ability to twist words into shape and write at a painfully minute size.
As a warning from one who likes to twist words to imply meaning contrary to the original intent, I submit the following short list of examples.
He alleged Andrew Gasson, who at the time lived with his family in Rhydypennau Road, was a manipulative teenager who could twist words to get what he wanted.
He refuses to do interviews with UK press, using the tired old argument that they twist words or invent quotes.
If by trying to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition you have seemed to twist words out of their normal order and have created a pompous-sounding locution, abandon the effort.
Roget's Thesaurus lists gloze under "misinterpret", alongside misexplain, misteach, misconstrue, pervert, twist words, misquote, falsify, garble, misrepresent, travesty, parody, caricature.
In the Hills' letters and in those of other women are the phrases of women who have probably been regular readers of the pre-Richardsonian novel, the novels about courtship that consistently include a man much like Lovelace: dazzlingly attractive, well-born, wealthy, articulate--both "smooth" and able to twist words and arguments.