Torture
noun
The act of causing severe physical or mental pain to someone, usually to make them say something they would not want to.
They subjected him to torture until he confessed.
Often appears as...
- subjected to torture
- methods of torture
noun
Something causing severe mental or physical suffering.
Waiting for the results was pure torture.
Often appears as...
- pure torture
- emotional torture
verb
To cause someone severe physical or mental pain, often to make them say something they do not want to.
The prisoners were brutally tortured.
Often appears as...
- tortured by criminals
- brutally tortured
verb
To cause great mental or physical suffering to someone.
She tortured herself with guilt.
Often appears as...
- torment oneself with guilt
- tortured artist
noun
The act of causing severe physical or mental pain to someone, usually to make them say something they would not want to.
They subjected him to torture until he confessed.
Often appears as...
- subjected to torture
- methods of torture
noun
Something causing severe mental or physical suffering.
Waiting for the results was pure torture.
Often appears as...
- pure torture
- emotional torture
verb
To cause someone severe physical or mental pain, often to make them say something they do not want to.
The prisoners were brutally tortured.
Often appears as...
- tortured by criminals
- brutally tortured
verb
To cause great mental or physical suffering to someone.
She tortured herself with guilt.
Often appears as...
- torment oneself with guilt
- tortured artist
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Coercion
Torture often aims to force information from someone or to punish.
The captured spy was subjected to torture for classified information.
Pro Tip 2/3Extreme Severity
Emphasizes the intensity, going beyond normal pain or discomfort.
Methods of torture can cause long-term physical and psychological harm.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
Torture is always seen negatively and is a violation of human rights.
International laws prohibit the use of torture in all forms.
Compare with
afflictionagonyanguishdistressmiserypainsuffertorment
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Video examples
This Platypus Can Glow...
scientists who probably can they certainly can yeah because they were looking for by the biofluorescence in flying squirrels in the chicago museum using dead specimens collected some of them hundreds of years before they've got a little torture now shining around and of course the squirrels they are glowing in the dark it's like pink
Video examples
The language of lying —...
from medieval torture devices to polygraphs, blood-pressure and breathing monitors, voice-stress analyzers, eye trackers, infrared brain scanners, and even the 400-pound electroencephalogram. But although such tools have worked under certain circumstances, most can be fooled with enough preparation,
Video examples
Ugly History: Witch...
While religious authorities encouraged witch hunts, local secular governments usually carried out the detainment and punishment of accused witches. Those suspected of witchcraft were questioned and often tortured— and under torture, thousands of innocent people confessed to witchcraft
Video examples
How to stop torture -...
of these countries have all passed laws that say you have a right to a lawyer and you're right not to be tortured and what I recognized was that there was an incredible window of opportunity for us as a world community to come together and end torture as an investigative tool
Video examples
What are the universal...
the principle of nondiscrimination and the right to life and liberty. It refers to negative freedoms, like the freedom from torture or slavery, as well as positive freedoms, such as the freedom of movement and residence. It encompasses basic civil and political rights,
Video examples
Born to sing PIPE Taylor...
very ugly explosive and violent way unable to control his anger and his rage my father tore through our home daily yelling screaming and hitting his inner struggle to provide and protect for his family tortured him my parents grew up
Video examples
Karen Tse: How to stop...
And what I recognized was that there was an incredible window of opportunity for us as a world community to come together and end torture as an investigative tool. We often think of torture as being political torture or reserved for
Video examples
Hostage Situation PIPE...
know what to do I wouldn't give him any names and they threatened me with tortures oddly enough one of the english-speaking guard said just give them some names so I did I made up some names and they went away
Video examples
What I learned as a...
sometimes too much. She knew just how to torture me without knowing. And this girl spent a lot of time in the morning to put on makeup, like you can see in any young girl's life.
Video examples
How America's public...
thrift stores, attics -- you know. But whenever I said those dreadful words, "Take out a book and read," you'd think I'd just declared war. It was torture. One day,
Video examples
This Platypus Can Glow...
scientists who probably can they certainly can yeah because they were looking for by the biofluorescence in flying squirrels in the chicago museum using dead specimens collected some of them hundreds of years before they've got a little torture now shining around and of course the squirrels they are glowing in the dark it's like pink
Video examples
The language of lying —...
from medieval torture devices to polygraphs, blood-pressure and breathing monitors, voice-stress analyzers, eye trackers, infrared brain scanners, and even the 400-pound electroencephalogram. But although such tools have worked under certain circumstances, most can be fooled with enough preparation,
Video examples
Ugly History: Witch...
While religious authorities encouraged witch hunts, local secular governments usually carried out the detainment and punishment of accused witches. Those suspected of witchcraft were questioned and often tortured— and under torture, thousands of innocent people confessed to witchcraft
Video examples
How to stop torture -...
of these countries have all passed laws that say you have a right to a lawyer and you're right not to be tortured and what I recognized was that there was an incredible window of opportunity for us as a world community to come together and end torture as an investigative tool
Video examples
What are the universal...
the principle of nondiscrimination and the right to life and liberty. It refers to negative freedoms, like the freedom from torture or slavery, as well as positive freedoms, such as the freedom of movement and residence. It encompasses basic civil and political rights,
Video examples
Born to sing PIPE Taylor...
very ugly explosive and violent way unable to control his anger and his rage my father tore through our home daily yelling screaming and hitting his inner struggle to provide and protect for his family tortured him my parents grew up
Video examples
Karen Tse: How to stop...
And what I recognized was that there was an incredible window of opportunity for us as a world community to come together and end torture as an investigative tool. We often think of torture as being political torture or reserved for
Video examples
Hostage Situation PIPE...
know what to do I wouldn't give him any names and they threatened me with tortures oddly enough one of the english-speaking guard said just give them some names so I did I made up some names and they went away
Video examples
What I learned as a...
sometimes too much. She knew just how to torture me without knowing. And this girl spent a lot of time in the morning to put on makeup, like you can see in any young girl's life.
Video examples
How America's public...
thrift stores, attics -- you know. But whenever I said those dreadful words, "Take out a book and read," you'd think I'd just declared war. It was torture. One day,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Miranda Hart
English Actress
I am pleased to say that I am not a tortured comedian - I laugh a lot. My twenties weren't particularly happy, but it's the same for a lot of people. In your thirties, you realise that your life and your worries are really insignificant, and you have to force yourself to be more positive and take each day as a gift.
Quote examples
Kim Elizabeth
American Writer
My imagination completely controls me, and forever feeds the fire that burns with dark red light in my heart by bringing me the best dreams. I've always had a wild imagination, a big heart and a tortured soul so I feel that dark fantasy, love and horror are in my blood.
Quote examples
Katie Aselton
American Director
It's really fun to go back and forth from acting projects to directing projects. You don't have as much responsibility when you're acting, but you have more fun. But then you miss having that responsibility, and so you go back and torture yourself and make a movie.
Quote examples
Giles Deacon
British Designer
I don't believe in a recipe for success. You have to work hard; you may not always get it right - you have to bounce back from situations, and you have to be really focused and determined. It's important to have fun as well. Work shouldn't be a torture.
Quote examples
Vivienne Westwood
English Designer
I was so upset with what was going on in the world. I just couldn't stand the idea of being people tortured and that we even had such a thing as war. I hated the older generation, who had not done anything about it. Punk was a call-to-arms for me.
Quote examples
Luther Burbank
American Environmentalist
Less than fifteen per cent of the people do any original thinking on any subject. The greatest torture in the world for most people is to think.
Quote examples
Mike White
Writer
People sometimes seem surprised because often, you know, you know, there's a lot of tortured characters in the stuff I write.
Quote examples
Victoria Abril
Spanish Actress
When you have to get into the character each morning, give it your voice, your face, it was torture.
Quote examples
Halle Berry
American Actress
I don't know why, but I respond well to tortured characters.
Quote examples
Ruben Blades
Panamanian Musician
Tortured characters are, I think, an actor's dream.
Quote examples
Miranda Hart
English Actress
I am pleased to say that I am not a tortured comedian - I laugh a lot. My twenties weren't particularly happy, but it's the same for a lot of people. In your thirties, you realise that your life and your worries are really insignificant, and you have to force yourself to be more positive and take each day as a gift.
Quote examples
Kim Elizabeth
American Writer
My imagination completely controls me, and forever feeds the fire that burns with dark red light in my heart by bringing me the best dreams. I've always had a wild imagination, a big heart and a tortured soul so I feel that dark fantasy, love and horror are in my blood.
Quote examples
Katie Aselton
American Director
It's really fun to go back and forth from acting projects to directing projects. You don't have as much responsibility when you're acting, but you have more fun. But then you miss having that responsibility, and so you go back and torture yourself and make a movie.
Quote examples
Giles Deacon
British Designer
I don't believe in a recipe for success. You have to work hard; you may not always get it right - you have to bounce back from situations, and you have to be really focused and determined. It's important to have fun as well. Work shouldn't be a torture.
Quote examples
Vivienne Westwood
English Designer
I was so upset with what was going on in the world. I just couldn't stand the idea of being people tortured and that we even had such a thing as war. I hated the older generation, who had not done anything about it. Punk was a call-to-arms for me.
Quote examples
Luther Burbank
American Environmentalist
Less than fifteen per cent of the people do any original thinking on any subject. The greatest torture in the world for most people is to think.
Quote examples
Mike White
Writer
People sometimes seem surprised because often, you know, you know, there's a lot of tortured characters in the stuff I write.
Quote examples
Victoria Abril
Spanish Actress
When you have to get into the character each morning, give it your voice, your face, it was torture.
Quote examples
Halle Berry
American Actress
I don't know why, but I respond well to tortured characters.
Quote examples
Ruben Blades
Panamanian Musician
Tortured characters are, I think, an actor's dream.
Example 1 of 10
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