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

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

Palestinian detainees released back to Gaza had previously told the BBC they were subjected to mistreatment and torture at the hands of Israeli military and prison staff.

From BBC

"Both sides have deliberately targeted civilians through attacks, summary executions, arbitrary detention, torture, and inhuman treatment in detention facilities, including denial of food, sanitation, and medical care," said Fact-Finding Mission chair, Mohamed Chande Othman.

From BBC

At a hearing in July she pleaded not guilty to charges of possession and trafficking illegal drugs and claimed she had been "forced to do this through torture".

From BBC

In recent years, civic groups have accused police of dozens of extrajudicial killings and torture.

From Los Angeles Times

Some are never found and others reappear with disturbing accounts of violence or torture – and some have been found dead.

From BBC

Related Words

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