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extort - 6 dictionary results

ex⋅tort

  [ik-stawrt]
Use extort in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. Law.
a. to wrest or wring (money, information, etc.) from a person by violence, intimidation, or abuse of authority; obtain by force, torture, threat, or the like.
b. to take illegally by reason of one's office.
2. to compel (something) of a person or thing: Her wit and intelligence extorted their admiration.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME (adj.) < L extortus, ptp. of extorquēre, equiv. to ex- ex- 1 + torquēre to twist

Related forms:
ex⋅tort⋅er, noun
ex⋅tor⋅tive, adjective

Synonyms:
1. See extract.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To extort
ex·tort   (ĭk-stôrt')   
tr.v.   ex·tort·ed, ex·tort·ing, ex·torts
To obtain from another by coercion or intimidation.

[Latin extorquēre, extort-, to wrench out, extort : ex-, ex- + torquēre, to twist; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
ex·tort'er n., ex·tor'tive adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Extort

Ex*tort"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Extorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Extorting.] [L. extortus, p. p. of extorquere to twist or wrench out, to extort; ex out + torquere to turn about, twist. See Torsion.]

1. To wrest from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity; to wrench away (from); to tear away; to wring (from); to exact; as, to extort contributions from the vanquished; to extort confessions of guilt; to extort a promise; to extort payment of a debt.

2. (Law) To get by the offense of extortion. See Extortion, 2.

Extort

Ex*tort"\, v. i. To practice extortion. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Extort

Ex*tort"\, p. p. & a. [L. extortus. p. p.] Extorted. [Obs.] --Spenser.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : extort
Spanish: conseguir a la fuerza,
German: erpressen,
Japanese: 強奪する
More Translations »

Main Entry: ex·tort
Pronunciation: ik-'stort
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere to remove by twisting, obtain by force, from ex- out + torquere to twist
: to obtain (as money) from a person by force, intimidation, or undue or unlawful use of authority or power —ex·tort·er noun —ex·tor·tive /-'stor-tiv/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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