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torturable

 - 2 dictionary results

tor⋅ture

[tawr-cher] noun, verb, -tured, -tur⋅ing.
–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)
6. to subject to torture.
7. to afflict with severe pain of body or mind: My back is torturing me.
8. to force or extort by torture: We'll torture the truth from his lips!
9. to twist, force, or bring into some unnatural position or form: trees tortured by storms.
10. to distort or pervert (language, meaning, etc.).

Origin:
1530–40; < LL tortūra a twisting, torment, torture. See tort, -ure


tor⋅tur⋅a⋅ble, adjective
tor⋅tured⋅ly, adverb
tor⋅tur⋅er, noun
tor⋅ture⋅some, adjective
tor⋅tur⋅ing⋅ly, adverb


6. See torment.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

torture  (n.)
c.1495 (implied in torturous), from M.Fr. torture "infliction of great pain, great pain, agony," from L.L. torture "a twisting, writhing, torture, torment," from stem of L. torquere "to twist, turn, wind, wring, distort" (see thwart). The verb is 1588, from the noun. Tortuous "full of twists" is recorded from 1426.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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