torture

[tawr-cher]

noun

1. the act of inflicting excruciating pain, as punishment or revenge, as a means of getting a confession or information, or for sheer cruelty.

2. a method of inflicting such pain.

3. Often tortures. the pain or suffering caused or undergone.

4. extreme anguish of body or mind; agony.

5. a cause of severe pain or anguish.

verb (used with object)

tortured, torturing 

1. to subject to torture.

2. to afflict with severe pain of body or mind.

   My back is torturing me.

3. to force or extort by torture.

   We'll torture the truth from his lips!

4. to twist, force, or bring into some unnatural position or form.

   trees tortured by storms.

5. to distort or pervert (language, meaning, etc.).

torture

/ ˈtɔːtʃə /

verb

1. to cause extreme physical pain to, esp in order to extract information, break resistance, etc

   to torture prisoners

2. to give mental anguish to

3. to twist into a grotesque form

noun

1. physical or mental anguish

2. the practice of torturing a person

3. a cause of mental agony or worry

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

Other Word Forms

• torturable adjective
• torturedly adverb
• torturer noun
• torturesome adjective
• torturingly adverb
• overtorture verb (used with object)
• pretorture noun
• self-torture noun
• self-tortured adjective
• self-torturing adjective
• untortured adjective
• torturously adverb
• torturing adjective
• tortured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of torture¹

First recorded in 1530–40, torture is from the Late Latin word tortūra a twisting, torment, torture. See tort, -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of torture¹

C16: from Late Latin tortūra a twisting, from torquēre to twist

Synonym Study

See torment.

Example Sentences

Stories of abuse, murder, and physical and psychological torture poured out from behind the walls since the day it opened in 1829.

From Salon

Prosecutors allege Amiryan and his crew kidnapped a man who they thought was behind the assassination attempt, torturing and interrogating him inside a Sun Valley home.

From Los Angeles Times

Khalusha had reportedly confessed to his crimes but his lawyer later told a court that he had been tortured.

From BBC

Their mutilated bodies were found several days later and police revealed that their killers had livestreamed their torture and killing on Instagram.

From BBC

Because of his affiliation with the group, the man told the BBC he fears that returning to Nigeria could lead to his arrest and torture.

From BBC

Related Words

• abuse 
• annoy 
• beat 
• disturb 
• injure 
• maim 
• mistreat 
• mutilate 
• oppress 
• persecute 
• torment 
• wound