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.
例文
1. The friction of the sheets against his skin was torture .
彼の肌を単擦りにされて、まるで拷問のようだ。
2.2000 prisoners died as a result of torture and maltreatment.
2000人の犯人が拷問と虐待で死んだ。
3.There are consistent reports of electrical torture being practised on inmates.
犯人は電気刑に処せられたと報道されてきた。
4.I believed that in civilized countries， torture had ended long ago.
文明国では、拷問はとっくに姿を消していると思っていた。
5.The confessions were obtained by what amounts to torture .