a twisted or distorted neck; a deformity in which the neck is drawn to one side by a rigid contraction of one of the muscles of the neck; torticollis.-any one of several species of old world birds of the genus jynx, allied to the woodpeckers; especially, the common european species (j. torguilla); -- so called from its habit of turning the neck around in different directions. called also cuckoo's mate, snakebird, summer bird, tonguebird, and writheneck.