51Թ

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View synonyms for

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

/ ˈɔːʃə /

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. physical or mental anguish
  2. the practice of torturing a person
  3. a cause of mental agony or worry
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٴǰٳܰdzܲ, adverb
  • ˈٴǰٳܰ, noun
  • ˈٴǰٳܰԲ, adverb
  • ˈٴǰٳܰԲ, adjective
  • ˈٴǰٳܰ, adjective
  • ˈٴǰٳܰdz, adjective
  • ˈٴǰٳܰly, adverb
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • ٴǰtܰ·· adjective
  • ٴǰtܰ· adverb
  • ٴǰtܰ· noun
  • ٴǰtܰ·dz adjective
  • ٴǰtܰ·Բ· adverb
  • v·ٴǰtܰ verb (used with object) overtortured overtorturing
  • ·ٴǰtܰ noun verb (used with object) pretortured pretorturing
  • -ٴǰtܰ noun
  • -ٴǰtܰd adjective
  • -ٴǰtܰ·Բ adjective
  • ܲ·ٴǰtܰ adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of torture1

First recorded in 1530–40, torture is from the Late Latin word ٴǰū a twisting, torment, torture. See tort, -ure
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of torture1

C16: from Late Latin ٴǰū a twisting, from ٴǰŧ to twist
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Synonym Study

See torment.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The ex-partner of a millionaire horse racing tipster who "tortured" women and filmed the abuse has warned someone could die if he is not stopped.

From

He said there was constant abuse: "I witnessed a young woman who was being tortured by the terrorist. I mean literal torture, not just in the figurative sense."

From

For those unclear on how paying way more for bananas and blue jeans will boost your testosterone, well, the tortured justification they offer isn't helpful.

From

A picture of him in court appeared to show bruises on his forehead and there have been allegations of torture, denied by Azerbaijan which insists his rights have been respected in custody.

From

"The amount of torture was enormous," he added.

From

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