— tormentedly , adv. — tormentingly , adv. — tormentingness , n.
v. /tawr ment", tawr"ment/ ; n. /tawr"ment/ , v.t.
1. to afflict with great bodily or mental suffering; pain: to be tormented with violent headaches.
2. to worry or annoy excessively: to torment one with questions.
3. to throw into commotion; stir up; disturb.
n.
4. a state of great bodily or mental suffering; agony; misery.
5. something that causes great bodily or mental pain or suffering.
6. a source of much trouble, worry, or annoyance.
7. an instrument of torture, as the rack or the thumbscrew.
8. the infliction of torture by means of such an instrument or the torture so inflicted.
[ 1250-1300; (n.) ME tormentum rope, catapult, torture tork w -ment- (see TORQUE, -MENT); (v.) ME tormenten tormenter, deriv. of torment (cf. LL tormentare ) ]
Syn. 1. harry, hector, vex, distress, agonize. TORMENT, RACK, TORTURE suggest causing great physical or mental pain, suffering, or harassment. TO TORMENT is to afflict or harass as by incessant repetition of vexations or annoyances: to be tormented by doubts. TO RACK is to affect with such pain as that suffered by one stretched on a rack; to concentrate with painful effort: to rack one's brains. TO TORTURE is to afflict with acute and more or less protracted suffering: to torture one by keeping one in suspense. 2. plague, pester, tease, provoke, needle, trouble, fret. 4. torture, distress, anguish.
Ant. 1. please.