excruciate
UK /ɪkˈskɹuːʃi.eɪt/ · US /ɪkˈskɹuʃi.eɪt/ verb, adjective
Forms excruciates excruciating excruciated
- verb (transitive) To inflict intense pain or mental distress on (someone); to torture.
- adjective (obsolete) Excruciated; tortured.
Synonyms
torment torture ache afflict aggrieve agonize anguish dere hurt irritate pang pine rack throe wring
Etymology
From Latin excruciātus, past participle of excruciō, from ex- + cruciō, from the base of crux (“cross”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Excruciated; tortured.
- verb To inflict agonizing pain upon; to torture; to torment greatly; to rack; as, to excruciate the heart or the body.
Etymology [L. excruciatus, p. p. of excruciare to excruciate; ex out + cruciare to put to death on a cross, to torment. See Cruciate, Cross.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “excruciate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details