torment

 

noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtɔːmɛnt/
[mass noun]
  • severe physical or mental suffering: their deaths have left both families in torment
  • [count noun] a cause of severe suffering: the journey must have been a torment for them

verb

Pronunciation: /tɔːˈmɛnt/
[with object]
  • cause to experience severe mental or physical suffering: he was tormented by jealousy
  • annoy or provoke in an unkind way: every day I have kids tormenting me because they know I live alone

Derivatives

tormented

adjective

tormentedly

adverb

tormenting

adjective

tormentingly

adverb

tormentor

Pronunciation: /-ˈmɛntə/
noun

Origin:

Middle English (as both noun and verb referring to the infliction or suffering of torture): Old French torment (noun), tormenter (verb), from Latin tormentum 'instrument of torture', from torquere 'to twist'