— torturously , adv.
/tawr"cheuhr euhs/ , adj.
pertaining to, involving, or causing torture or suffering.
[ 1490-1500; tortureus. See TORTURE, -OUS ]
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, especially in the senses "twisting, winding" and "convoluted": a torturous road; torturous descriptions. Others, however, keep the two adjectives (and their corresponding adverbs) separate in all senses: a tortuous (twisting) road; tortuous (convoluted) descriptions; torturous (painful) treatments.