torture
tor·ture [torture tortures tortured torturing] noun, verb BrE [ˈtɔːtʃə(r)] NAmE [ˈtɔːrtʃər]
noun uncountable, countable
1. the act of causing sb severe pain in order to punish them or make them say or do sth
•Many of the refugees have suffered torture.
•the use of torture
•terrible instruments of torture
•His confessions were made under torture.
•I heard stories of gruesome tortures in prisons.
2. (informal)mental or physical suffering; sth that causes this
•The interview was sheer torture from start to finish.
Word Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense ‘distortion, twisting’, or a physical disorder characterized by this): via French from late Latin tortura ‘twisting, torment’, from Latin torquere ‘to twist’.
Derived Word: ↑torturer
verb often passive
1. to hurt sb physically or mentally in order to punish them or make them tell you sth
•~ sb Many of the rebels were captured and tortured by secret police.
•~ sb into doing sth He was tortured into giving them the information.
2. ~ sb to make sb feel extremely unhappy or anxious
Syn: ↑torment
•He spent his life tortured by the memories of his childhood.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense ‘distortion, twisting’, or a physical disorder characterized by this): via French from late Latin tortura ‘twisting, torment’, from Latin torquere ‘to twist’.
Example Bank:
•The prisoners were routinely tortured.
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