Dictionary

torture en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰoɹt͡ʃɚ] ~ [ˈtʰoɹt͡ʃɹ̩] (General-American)
• /ˈtoːt͡ʃə/ (Australia, British, New-Zealand, Southern, Standard)
• /ˈtɔːt͡ʃə/ Manchester
• /ˈtɔɾt͡ʃəɾ/ (Scotland)
• /ˈtoɹt͡ʃɚ/ (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɔːt͡ʃə] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰoːt͡ʃə] (Australia, British, New-Zealand, Southern, Standard)
• /ˈtɔːt͡ʃə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɔɹt͡ʃɚ/ early 20th century General American, near-obsolete

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”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) 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.
   • If Cheney calls it enhanced interrogation, he argues, this still doesn’t change the meaning of the word torture, which Cheney and the public know perfectly well. But cognitive linguists like Lakoff (1996) remind us that the public can be manipulated into believing that torture is “merely” an enhanced interrogation technique and thus does not protest. 2014 January 14, Claire Kramsch, “Language and Culture”, in AILA Review, volume 27, number 5, John Benjamins, →DOI, →ISSN, page 35:
   • People confess to anything under torture.
   • Using large dogs to attack bound, hand-cuffed prisoners is clearly torture.
   • What new tortures await me?
   • Santorum, in a comment regarding Senator John McCain's repudiation of torture, stated, "He doesn't understand how enhanced interrogation works. I mean, you break somebody, and after they've broken they become cooperative" (Summers 2011). 2015 November 30, Shane O'Mara, Why Torture Doesn’t Work: The Neuroscience of Interrogation, Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 12:
2. (countable, in-compounds, uncountable) 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. ▸ Sexual activity involving the infliction of pain to a certain body part or in a certain manner.
   • tickle torture
   • cock and ball torture
3. (countable, uncountable) Severe pain or anguish, of mind or body.
4. (countable, in figurative or extended use, uncountable) An unpleasant sensation or its infliction: embarrassment, heartache, etc.
   • 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)
   • Every time she says 'goodbye' it is torture!

Forms

Deriveds

torture-test · torturelike · antitorture · torture-meister · electrotorture · Chinese water torture · tortureproof · torture test · torture warrant · bamboo torture · C and B torture · torturemeister · torturesome · C & B torture · pretorture · torture stake · Muldertorture · genitorture · C&B torture · surf torture · torture chamber

Hyponyms

impalement · abacination · forcipation · enhanced interrogation technique · waterboarding · squassation · strappado

Relateds

agonize · agony · tort · torta · tart · torment

Synonyms

torture · trouble · torment · pain · enhanced interrogation techniques · grief · smart · misery · enhanced interrogation techniques · distress · pain · rend · wark · enhanced interrogation · difficulty · torture · torment · anguish · excruciate · hardship

Translations (166)

ha azabtarwa (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · kk азаптау (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sh мучење (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · fo píning (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · th ทารุณกรรม (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · lo ທາລຸນກັມ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ko 고문 (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ang tintreg (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · uk торту́ра (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · es suplicio ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · ru муче́ние ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · az işgəncə (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · tg шиканҷа (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · chr ᎠᏓᎩᎵᏲᏍᏙᏗ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · hu kínzás (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ca tortura (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · kmr şkence (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · pt tortura (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · no tortur ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · am ሥቃይ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · my ညှဉ်းပမ်း (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · gl tortura (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · grc βάσανος (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mg fampijaliana (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · tk güzap (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · es tortura (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ky кыйноо (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · gu ત્રાસ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · da tortur (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · io tormento (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ru муче́ние (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ru истяза́ние (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mk ма́ка ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · yi פּײַניקונג (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · lv spīdzināšana (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sm faʻatāugā (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sh торту́ра (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · bn যন্ত্রণা (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · vo tom (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · hu kínszenvedés ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · ar تَعْذِيب (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · uz iskanja (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · tk azap (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · cmn 拷問 /拷问 (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · lt kankinimas (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ota اشكنجه (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · kk азап (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · cs muka ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · ru му́ка ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · nl pijniging (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · to fakamamahi'i (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · be тарту́ры (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · xh sentuthumbo (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ja 拷問 (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · hi संतापन (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · la cruciātus (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · be катава́нне (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ug قىيناش (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sq mundim (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · haw hoʻomāinoino' (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · izh mookka (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ps عذاب (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · tg азоб (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · hy չարչարանք ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · tr eziyet ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · fj veivakararawataki (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · fi kidutus (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ty anei (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · tk basmarlamak (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ru пы́тка (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · lo ທາຣຸນກັມ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · chr ᎠᏓᎩᎷᏗ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ga pianadh (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · fa عذاب (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ang clæmnes (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · uz azob (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · uk торту́ри (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · nn tortur (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ast tortura (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sl mučenje (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ro chin (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · eu tortura (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · si වධ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · be тарту́ра (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mk то́рмоз (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · uk катува́ння (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · st tlhokofatso (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · bg мъче́ние (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · cmn 酷刑 (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · gd cràdh (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mk ма́чење ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · nb tortur (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · pa ਤਸ਼ੱਦਦ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ar عَذَاب (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · lo ການທໍລະມານ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sq torturë (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · af marteling (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · fa شکنجه (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mk страда́ние ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · pt suplício (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · kk қинау (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · pt tormento (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · he עינויים (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mk стра́дање ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · fy marteling (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · de Tortur ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · sv tortyr (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ceb kasakit (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · cmn 折磨 (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · eo torturo (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · tr işkence ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · txg 𗀀𗴐 (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ky азап (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · uz qiynoq (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · la cruciāmen (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mn эрүү (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · pl tortury (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · bg изтеза́ние (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · tr eziyet (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · lo ການທໍຣະມານ (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ang witnung (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · km ទារុណកម្ម (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ru страда́ние ("suffering of heart" imposed by one on another, in personal relationships) · oc tortura (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · fr torture (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ps تعذيب (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · cmn 煎熬 (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · te చిత్రహింస (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sn kurwadziswa (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ro tortură (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sh mučenje (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · hi यंत्रणा (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sk mučenie (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · tr işkence (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · hi यातना (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · nl foltering (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mn тамлалт (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · kmr îşkence (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · enm pyne (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · pl tortura (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · vi nhục hình (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sh tortúra (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · is pynting (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ug ئازاب (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · sah эрэй (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · pdt Kjwal (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ps شکنجه (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · nl marteling (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · hy կտտանք (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · az əzab (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · th การทรมาน (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mk тормо́зење (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ang pinung (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · ka წამება (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mk ма́чење (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · et piinamine (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · de Folter (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · el βασανιστήρια (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · hy խոշտանգում (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · mk торту́ра (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · cy artaith (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · fa تعذیب (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · vi sự tra tấn (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · got 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · nrf tortuthe (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony) · cs mučení (intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony)

torture en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰoɹt͡ʃɚ] ~ [ˈtʰoɹt͡ʃɹ̩] (General-American)
• /ˈtoːt͡ʃə/ (Australia, British, New-Zealand, Southern, Standard)
• /ˈtɔːt͡ʃə/ Manchester
• /ˈtɔɾt͡ʃəɾ/ (Scotland)
• /ˈtoɹt͡ʃɚ/ (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɔːt͡ʃə] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰoːt͡ʃə] (Australia, British, New-Zealand, Southern, Standard)
• /ˈtɔːt͡ʃə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɔɹt͡ʃɚ/ early 20th century General American, near-obsolete

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”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) 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.

Forms

Deriveds

torturer · torturee · retorture · torturable

Synonyms

torture · wring · afflict · pang · afflict · dere · irritate · pine · agonize · torment · aggrieve · torment · excruciate · hurt · ache · anguish · rack · throe

Translations (83)

sl mučiti (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · pl męczyć (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · sv tortera (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ja 拷問する (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · lo ທໍລະມານ (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · hu kínoz (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ru пыта́ть (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · la mācerō (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · tr eziyet etmek (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · sh mȕčiti (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · bg изтеза́вам (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · th ทรมาน (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · et piinama (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · orv мучити (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ang pinian (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · io tormentar (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · de foltern (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ru истяза́ть (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · izh kiusata (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · mk измачи (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · da torturere (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · hy խոշտանգել (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · got 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · pl katować (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · la torqueō (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · uk катува́ти (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · sq mundoj (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ca torturar (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ltg komuot (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ro tortura (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · nrf tortuther (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ang tintregian (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ro chinui (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · da tortere (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · es torturar (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ar عَذَّبَ (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · my ညှဉ်း (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · el βασανίζω (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · lv mocīt (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · non pína (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · bg измъ́ча (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · enm pynen (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · pt torturar (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · vi tra tấn (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · be катава́ць (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · fr torturer (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · gl torturar (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · fa شکنجه دادن (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · non kvelja (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · lt kamuoti (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ceb pasakitan (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · uk му́чити (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · eu torturatu (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · nl folteren (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · pl torturować (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · he עִנָּה (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · cmn 拷問 /拷问 (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · sa लुम्बति (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · grc βασανίζω (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · no torturere (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · mn тамлах (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · bg измъ́чвам (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ast torturar (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · cmn 折磨 (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · fi kiduttaa (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · izh mookata (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · bg мъ́ча (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ko 고문하다 (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · eo torturi (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · sk mučiť (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ang gecwealmbæran (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · sh му̏чити (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ang witnian (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · cu мѫчити (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · it torturare (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · mk мачи (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · be му́чыць (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · az işgəncə vermək (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · ru му́чить (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · la cruciō (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · cs mučit (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · nl martelen (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims) · tr işkence etmek (to intentionally inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on helpless victims)