torture
noun
- intentional infliction of physical or mental suffering upon a person or an animal
verb
- to afflict severe pain or suffering
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈtɔːt͡ʃə/ / [ˈtʰɔːt͡ʃə] / /ˈtɔɹt͡ʃɚ/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English torture, from Old French torture, from Late Latin tortūra (“a twisting, writhing, of bodily pain, a griping colic;” in Medieval Latin “pain inflicted by judicial or ecclesiastical authority as a means of persuasion, torture”), from Latin tortus (whence also tort), past participle of torquēre (“to twist”).
- The infliction of severe pain or anguish, especially as an interrogation technique or punishment; (usually in the plural) a technique, method, or device which is designed to inflict such anguish.
“People confess to anything under torture.”
“Using large dogs to attack bound, hand-cuffed prisoners is clearly torture.”
- The infliction of severe pain or anguish, especially as an interrogation technique or punishment; (usually in the plural) a technique, method, or device which is designed to inflict such anguish.
“cock and ball torture”
“tickle torture”
- Severe pain or anguish, of mind or body.
- An unpleasant sensation or its infliction: embarrassment, heartache, etc.
“Every time she says 'goodbye' it is torture!”
“Coventry City midfielder Josh Ruffels described his 11 months out injured as 'absolute torture' after the goalless draw with Derby County Under-21s. (http://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/article/eleven-months-of-absolute-torture-760652.aspx)”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English torture, from Old French torture, from Late Latin tortūra (“a twisting, writhing, of bodily pain, a griping colic;” in Medieval Latin “pain inflicted by judicial or ecclesiastical authority as a means of persuasion, torture”), from Latin tortus (whence also tort), past participle of torquēre (“to twist”).
- To intentionally inflict severe pain or suffering on (someone), usually with the aim of forcing confessions or punishing them.
“1 August 2014, Barack Obama, "Press Conference by the President"; transcript published online by the Obama White House Archives, [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/01/press-conference-president [1]]. With respect to the larger point of the RDI report itself, even before I came into office I was very clear that in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 we did some things that were wrong. We did a whole lot of things that were right, but we tortured some folks. We did some things that were contrary to our values.”
“People who torture often have sadistic tendencies.”