yvlog

Advertisement

Advertisement

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
Discover More

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
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈٴǰٳܰdzܲ, adverb
  • ˈٴǰٳܰ, noun
  • ˈٴǰٳܰԲ, adverb
  • ˈٴǰٳܰԲ, adjective
  • ˈٴǰٳܰ, adjective
  • ˈٴǰٳܰdz, adjective
  • ˈٴǰٳܰly, adverb
Discover More

Other yvlog 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
Discover More

yvlog 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
Discover More

yvlog History and Origins

Origin of torture1

C16: from Late Latin ٴǰū a twisting, from ٴǰŧ to twist
Discover More

Synonym Study

See torment.
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Leslie gives a complete portrait of this remarkably fecund and frequently tortured creative partnership, which began in Liverpool in 1957 and ended in New York City on Dec. 8, 1980, with Lennon’s murder.

From

The production of 1996’s “The Island of Doctor Moreau” was famously tortured, producing the type of unmitigated chaos that feels almost mythic today.

From

He observed in the hearing that the use of repetitive sounds is "a well-publicised feature of unlawful but effective psychological torture techniques".

From

Garcia disputed those charges and appealed for asylum over fears that he would be killed or tortured by gang members targeting him for extortion.

From

Guardiola has cut a tortured, agonised figure for most of a campaign in which the form of his Manchester City side fell off a cliff after claiming a historic four successive Premier League titles.

From

Advertisement

Related yvlogs

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement