| torture | |
| 1. n. Intentional causing of somebody's experiencing agony. | |
| Using large dogs to attack bound, hand-cuffed prisoners is clearly torture. | |
| In every war there are acts of torture that cause the world to shudder. | |
| People confess to anything under torture. | |
| 2. n. (chiefly literary) The "suffering of the heart" imposed by one on another, as in personal relationships. | |
| 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. | |
| 3. n. (colloquial) (often as "absolute torture") stage fright, severe embarrassment. | |
| 4. v. To intentionally inflict severe pain or suffering on (someone). | |
| People who torture often have sadistic tendencies. | |
| In the 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. | |
