torment

[v. tawr-ment, tawr-ment; n. tawr-ment] /v. tɔrˈmɛnt, ˈtɔr mɛnt; n. ˈtɔr mɛnt/
verb (used with object)
1.
to afflict with great bodily or mental suffering; pain:
to be tormented with violent headaches.
2.
to worry or annoy excessively:
to torment one with questions.
3.
to throw into commotion; stir up; disturb.
noun
4.
a state of great bodily or mental suffering; agony; misery.
5.
something that causes great bodily or mental pain or suffering.
6.
a source of much trouble, worry, or annoyance.
7.
an instrument of torture, as the rack or the thumbscrew.
8.
the infliction of torture by means of such an instrument or the torture so inflicted.
Origin
1250-1300; (noun) Middle English < Old French < Latin tormentum rope, catapult, torture < *torkw-ment- (see torque, -ment); (v.) Middle English tormenten < Old French tormenter, derivative of torment (compare Late Latin tormentāre)
Related forms
tormentedly, adverb
tormentingly, adverb
tormentingness, noun
untormented, adjective
untormenting, adjective
untormentingly, adverb
Synonyms
1. harry, hector, vex, distress, agonize. T orment , rack , torture suggest causing great physical or mental pain, suffering, or harassment. T o torment is to afflict or harass as by incessant repetition of vexations or annoyances: to be tormented by doubts. T o rack is to affect with such pain as that suffered by one stretched on a rack; to concentrate with painful effort: to rack one's brains. T o torture is to afflict with acute and more or less protracted suffering: to torture one by keeping one in suspense. 2. plague, pester, tease, provoke, needle, trouble, fret. 4. torture, distress, anguish.
Antonyms
1. please.
Examples from the web for torment
  • For example, spider monkeys loved to torment howlers.
  • But if you talk to these people, some of them will tell you that they live in torment.
  • There is fire and torment, and unspeakable practices, dwelled upon at length.
  • Welch's narratives tend to be accounts of resignation, misfortune, or torment.
  • Each knew she was unstable and vaguely understood that psychological torment somehow produced good poetry.
  • No matter how violent his torment, he retains full artistic control of the tragedy which he is living through, but also writing.
  • The fluid that only a few days before had been their fortune was now their torment.
  • Sure enough, those in sere training found that they would say anything to get the torment to stop.
  • They are cold, cartoonish attempts to escape the inner torment that her poetry described.
  • The biting flies and ants were to us a source of discomfort and at times of what could fairly be called torment.
British Dictionary definitions for torment

torment

verb (transitive) (tɔːˈmɛnt)
1.
to afflict with great pain, suffering, or anguish; torture
2.
to tease or pester in an annoying way: stop tormenting the dog
noun (ˈtɔːmɛnt)
3.
physical or mental pain
4.
a source of pain, worry, annoyance, etc
5.
(archaic) an instrument of torture
6.
(archaic) the infliction of torture
Derived Forms
tormented, adjective
tormentedly, adverb
tormenting, adjective, noun
tormentingly, adverb
Word Origin
C13: from Old French, from Latin tormentum, from torquēre
Word Origin and History for torment
n.

late 13c., "inflicting of torture," also "state of great suffering," from Old French tourment (11c.), from Latin tormentum "twisted sling, rack," related to torquere "to twist" (see thwart).

v.

late 13c., from Old French tormenter (12c.), from Latin tormentare, from tormentum (see torment (n.)). Related: Tormented; tormenting.

torment in the Bible

Gr. basanos (Matt. 4:24), the "touch-stone" of justice; hence inquisition by torture, and then any disease which racks and tortures the limbs.