Torture

Torture is the infliction of severe physical or psychological pain or grief as an expression of cruelty, a means of intimidation, deterrent, revenge or punishment, or as a tool for the extraction of information or confessions.

Other meanings of the word

Sometimes in countries which are spared routine exposure to real torture, the word "torture" is used loosely (and to some people, inappropriately) for ordinary discomforts. For example, "I was stuck in a traffic jam for three hours today, it was torture!"

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