Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

torture

 - 2 dictionary results

tor⋅ture

  [tawr-cher] noun, verb, -tured, -tur⋅ing.
Use torture in a Sentence
–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

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

Synonyms:
6. See torment.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To torture
tor·ture   (tôr'chər)   
n.  

    1. Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion.

    2. An instrument or a method for inflicting such pain.

  2. Excruciating physical or mental pain; agony: the torture of waiting in suspense.

  3. Something causing severe pain or anguish.

tr.v.   tor·tured, tor·tur·ing, tor·tures

  1. To subject (a person or an animal) to torture.

  2. To bring great physical or mental pain upon (another). See Synonyms at afflict.

  3. To twist or turn abnormally; distort: torture a rule to make it fit a case.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin tortūra, from Latin tortus, past participle of torquēre, to twist; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
tor'tur·er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see torture on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way