n (1)折磨，拷问，刑讯(act or practice of causing severe pain，often to punish sb or to try to get information out of sb)[C，U]：be put to the～经受拷问;die under～死于严刑拷问;use/instruments of～使用拷问/刑具;the Japanese water/barbaric～s日本式灌水酷刑/野蛮的拷问;

(2)对身心的折磨(great pain，either of the body or of the mind)[C，U](fig)：the～of waiting to be executed 等待被处死的折磨;be in～处境痛苦;Waiting for news of the lost boy was sheer～to his parents. 等待失踪孩子的消息，纯粹是对父母的折磨。undergo many～s 遭受许多折磨;suffer～s from rheumatism 遭受风湿病的折磨;the～s of jealousy/fear/suspense 嫉妒/恐惧/焦虑的折磨;〖同〗suffering，distress，trial，cruelty;〖反〗joy，delight，happiness，enjoyment;

vt (1)折磨，拷打(问)(treat sb cruelly or painfully，as a punishment or in order to make sb confess sth)[T+n]：～prisoners 拷问囚犯;～sb to obtain information/to make him to admit to the crime/to force sb confess 拷打某人以获取情报/使某人承认犯罪/迫使某人坦白;〖同〗mistreat;

(2)使身心遭受严重折磨(cause severe pain of body or mind) [T+n]： be～d by anxiety/doubts/what sb has done/rheumatism/jealousy 为忧虑/疑虑/某人做的事情/风湿病/嫉妒所折磨;〖同〗distress;

→′torturer n 拷问者;虐待者