• vt. 折磨，使痛苦；纠缠，作弄
• n. 痛苦，苦恼；痛苦的根源

来自拉丁语 torquere,扭曲，词源同 turn,torque.-ment,名词后缀。引申词义折磨，痛苦。

torment

torment: [13] The notion underlying torment is of an instrument of torture worked by ‘twisting’. The word was borrowed from Latin tormentum ‘instrument of torture’, hence ‘torture, great suffering’. This was a contraction of an earlier *torquementum, a derivative of torquēre ‘twist’, which has also given English contort [15], extort [16], retort [16], torch, torque [19], torsion [15], tort [14], tortuous [15], and torture [16] (literally ‘twisting’).
=> contort, extort, retort, thwart, torch, torque, torsion, tort, torture

torment (n.)

c. 1300, "the inflicting of torture," also "state of great suffering, pain, distress," from Old French torment "torture, pain, anguish, suffering distress" (11c., Modern French tourment), from Latin tormentum "twisted cord, sling; clothes-press; instrument for hurling stones," also "instrument of torture, a rack," figuratively "anguish, pain, torment," from torquere "to twist" (see torque (n.)).

torment (v.)

c. 1300, "inflict torture on, distress," from Old French tormenter "torture, torment, oppress, agitate" (12c.), from Medieval Latin tormentare "to torment, to twist," from Latin tormentum (see torment (n.)). Related: Tormented; tormenting.

1. Outdoors, mosquitoes and midges were a perpetual torment.

在户外，蚊子和蠓虫永远让人不得安生。

来自柯林斯例句

2. the cries of a man in torment

一个备受折磨的人的喊叫声

来自《权威词典》

3. Love is a sweet tyranny , because the lover endures his torment willingly.

爱情是甜蜜的暴政, 情人甘心忍受它的折磨.

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. It was wicked of you to torment the poor girl.

你折磨那可怜的女孩,真是恶劣.

来自《简明英汉词典》

5. He has never suffered the torment of rejection.

他从未经受过遭人拒绝的痛苦.

来自《简明英汉词典》