torture

¹tor·ture

noun \ˈtȯr-chər\

Definition of TORTURE

1

a : anguish of body or mind : agony b : something that causes agony or pain

2

: the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing, or wounding) to punish, coerce, or afford sadistic pleasure

3

: distortion or overrefinement of a meaning or an argument : straining

Examples of TORTURE

1. Waiting is just torture for me.
2. Listening to him can be torture.

Origin of TORTURE

Middle French, from Old French, from Late Latin tortura, from Latin tortus, past participle of torquēre to twist; probably akin to Old High German drāhsil turner, Greek atraktos spindle

First Known Use: 1540

Related to TORTURE

Synonyms: agony, Gehenna, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torment, hell

Antonyms: heaven, paradise

Related Words: affliction, calvary, cross, curse, ordeal, trial, tribulation; calamity, misfortune, tragedy; gall, thorn; bummer, downer, drag

Near Antonyms: delight, diversion, entertainment, fun, joy, pleasure, recreation; lark, picnic, riot

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Rhymes with TORTURE

scorcher