torturous
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia.
Related to torturous: torturously, tortious
torturous
pertains to suffering: We toil in the torturous heat.
Not to be confused with:
tortuous – circuitous; devious; full of twists, turns, or bends: a tortuous road up the mountain
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
tor·tur·ous
(tôr′chər-əs)adj.
1. Of, relating to, or causing torture.
2. Twisted; strained. See Usage Note at tortuous.
tor′tur·ous·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
tor•tur•ous
(ˈtɔr tʃər əs)adj.
pertaining to, involving, or causing torture or suffering.
tor′tur•ous•ly, adv.
usage: torturous refers specifically to what involves or causes pain or suffering: prisoners working in the torturous heat; torturous memories of past injustice. Some speakers and writers use torturous for tortuous, esp. in the senses “twisting, winding” and “convoluted”: a torturous road; torturous descriptions. There can often be semantic overlap between these words, since, for example, a tortuous (winding) road may be considered torturous (painful) to navigate. Nonetheless, they are usually considered different words whose meanings should be kept distinct: a tortuous (twisting) road; tortuous (convoluted) descriptions; torturous (painful) treatments.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
See also related terms for torture.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Adj. | 1. | torturous - extremely painful painful - causing physical or psychological pain; "worked with painful slowness" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
torturous
adjective see tortuous
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
torturous
adjectiveExtraordinarily painful or distressing:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
torturous
adj → qualvoll
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007