torment

[ verb tawr-ment, tawr-ment; noun tawr-ment ]
/ verb tɔrˈmɛnt, ˈtɔr mɛnt; noun ˈtɔr mɛnt /

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of torment

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English < Old French < Latin tormentum rope, catapult, torture < *tork w -ment- (see torque, -ment); (v.) Middle English tormenten < Old French tormenter, derivative of torment (compare Late Latin tormentāre)

SYNONYMS FOR torment

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM torment

Example sentences from the Web for torment

British Dictionary definitions for torment

torment

verb (tɔːˈmɛnt) (tr)

to afflict with great pain, suffering, or anguish; torture
to tease or pester in an annoying way stop tormenting the dog

noun (ˈtɔːmɛnt)

physical or mental pain
a source of pain, worry, annoyance, etc
archaic an instrument of torture
archaic the infliction of torture

Derived forms of torment

tormented, adjective tormentedly, adverb tormenting, adjective, noun tormentingly, adverb

Word Origin for torment

C13: from Old French, from Latin tormentum, from torquēre