torment Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun unbearable physical pain
    torture.
  2. noun extreme mental distress
    anguish; torture.
  3. noun intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain
    agony; torture.
    • an agony of doubt
    • the torments of the damned
  4. noun a feeling of intense annoyance caused by being tormented
    harassment.
    • so great was his harassment that he wanted to destroy his tormentors
  5. noun a severe affliction
    curse.
  6. noun the act of harassing someone
    bedevilment; worrying; badgering.
  7. verb torment emotionally or mentally
    excruciate; torture; rack.
  8. verb treat cruelly
    bedevil; rag; crucify; dun; frustrate.
    • The children tormented the stuttering teacher
  9. verb subject to torture
    excruciate; torture.
    • The sinners will be tormented in Hell, according to the Bible

WordNet

Tor"ment noun
Etymology
OF. torment, F. tourment, fr. L. tormentum an engine for hurling missiles, an instrument of torture, a rack, torture, fr. torquere to turn, to twist, hurl. See Turture.
Definitions
  1. (Mil. Antiq.) An engine for casting stones. Obs. Sir T. Elyot.
  2. Extreme pain; anguish; torture; the utmost degree of misery, either of body or mind. Chaucer.
    The more I see Pleasures about me, so much more I feel Torment within me. Milton.
  3. That which gives pain, vexation, or misery.
    They brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments. Matt. iv. 24.
Tor*ment" transitive verb
Etymology
OF. tormenter, F. tourmenter.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle tormented ; present participle & verbal noun tormenting
Definitions
  1. To put to extreme pain or anguish; to inflict excruciating misery upon, either of body or mind; to torture. " Art thou come hither to torment us before our time? " Matt. viii. 29.
  2. To pain; to distress; to afflict.
    Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. Matt. viii. 6.
  3. To tease; to vex; to harass; as, to be tormented with importunities, or with petty annoyances. Colloq.
  4. To put into great agitation. R. "[They], soaring on main wing, tormented all the air." Milton.

Webster 1913