early 15c., "contortion, twisting, distortion; a disorder characterized by contortion," from Old French torture "infliction of great pain; great pain, agony" (12c.), and directly from Late Latin tortura "a twisting, writhing," in Medieval Latin "pain inflicted by judicial or ecclesiastical authority as a means of punishment or persuasion," from stem of Latin torquere "to twist, turn, wind, wring, distort" (see torque (n.)). The meaning "infliction of severe bodily pain as a means of punishment or persuasion" in English is from 1550s. The theory behind judicial torture was that a guilty person could be made to confess, but an innocent one could not, by this means. Macaulay writes that it was last inflicted in England in May 1640.
torture (v.)
1580s, from torture (n.). Related: Tortured; torturing.
雙語例句
1. The friction of the sheets against his skin was torture.
被單摩擦著他的皮膚，簡直像是酷刑。
來自柯林斯例句
2. 2,000 prisoners died as a result of torture and maltreatment.
2,000名犯人死于拷打和虐待。
來自柯林斯例句
3. There are consistent reports of electrical torture being practised on inmates.
一直有報道稱犯人被施以電刑。
來自柯林斯例句
4. I believed that in civilized countries, torture had ended long ago.
我原以為在文明國家，嚴刑拷打早已銷聲匿跡。
來自柯林斯例句
5. The confessions were obtained by what amounts to torture.