Category:Torment

Tor"ment, n. Etym: [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.]

1. (mil. Antiq.)

Defn: 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.

Torment Tor*ment", v. t. [imp. & p. p. tormented; p. pr. & vb. n. Tormenting.] Etym: [of. tormenter, f. tourmenter.]

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.

-

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Torment - Gr. basanos (Matthew 4:24), the "touch-stone" of justice; hence inquisition by torture, and then any disease which racks and tortures the limbs.