torture
[ tawr-cher ]
/ ˈtɔr tʃər /
noun
verb (used with object), tor·tured, tor·tur·ing.
RELATED CONTENT
What Is The Difference Between Torturous And Tortuous?Separated by just one pesky letter, these two similar-sounding adjectives can be torturous to keep straight. Or is it tortuous? Let’s take a look at the definitions and applications of each. Both of these terms come from the Latin verb torquēre meaning “to twist.” This derivation is easy to detect in the meaning of tortuous, defined as “full of twists, turns, or bends.” Expanding on …
Nearby words
tortricid, tortuga, tortuosity, tortuous, tortuously, torture, torture porn, torturer, torturous, torturously, torula
Origin of torture
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for torture
British Dictionary definitions for torture
torture
/ (ˈtɔːtʃə) /
verb (tr)
to cause extreme physical pain to, esp in order to extract information, break resistance, etcto torture prisoners
to give mental anguish to
to twist into a grotesque form
noun
physical or mental anguish
the practice of torturing a person
a cause of mental agony or worry
Derived Forms
Word Origin for torture
C16: from Late Latin tortūra a twisting, from torquēre to twist
usage
The adjective torturous is sometimes confused with tortuous. One speaks of a torturous experience, i.e. one that involves pain or suffering, but of a tortuous road, i.e. one that winds or twists
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012