拷问,刑讯 the act of causing sb severe physical pain
折磨; 痛苦 severe pain or suffering caused in the mind or body
同义词
n. agony，anguish，distortion，torment
v. excruciate，rack，torment
词汇辨析
agony，auguish，torment，torture，grief，misery，distress，sorrow
这些名词均有 苦恼、痛苦 之意。
agony 侧重指精神或身体痛苦的剧烈程度。
auguish 指精神方面令人难以忍受的极度痛苦;用于身体时，多指局部或暂时的痛苦。
torment 强调烦恼或痛苦的长期性。
torture 语气比toment强，指在精神或肉体上受到的折磨所产生的痛苦。
grief 指由某种特殊处境或原因造成的强烈的感情上的苦恼与悲痛。
misery 着重痛苦的可悲状态，多含不幸、可怜或悲哀的意味。
distress 多指因思想上的压力紧张、恐惧、忧虑等所引起的精神上的痛苦，也可指某种灾难带来的痛苦。
sorrow 语气比grief弱，指因不幸、损失或失望等所产生的悲伤。
参考例句
1. The secret police tortured him to obtain information.
秘密警察拷问他以获取情报。
2. I found a torture to lose you.
俄才发现失去你是一种折磨。
3. It is a kind of torture to most people.
对大多数人来说，它简直就是一种折磨。
词汇辨析
1.V-T If someone is tortured, another person deliberately causes them terrible pain over a period of time, in order to punish them or to make them reveal information. 拷打; 拷问
例：Despite being tortured she proclaimed her innocence.
尽管受到拷打，她仍声称自己是清白的。
2.N-VAR Torture is also a noun. 拷打; 拷问
例：...alleged cases of torture and murder by the security forces.
安全部队涉嫌严刑拷打与谋杀的案子。
3.V-T To torture someone means to cause them to suffer mental pain or anxiety. 折磨
例：He would not torture her further by trying to argue with her.
他不会通过和她争吵而进一步折磨她。
常见用法
用作名词
The use of torture must disgust any civilized person.
施用酷刑必为文明社会的人所不齿。
Torture always dehumanizes both the torturer and his victim.
严刑拷打往往使施刑者和受刑者都丧失人性。
She suffered the torture of toothache.
她因牙痛而痛苦。
用作及物动词
He tortured his prisoners.
他拷打犯人。
He was tortured with anxiety.
他为焦虑所苦。
Winds tortured the trees.
风把树吹得歪歪斜斜。