excruciate

English

Etymology

From Latin excruciātus, past participle of excruciō, from ex- +‎ cruciō, from the base of crux (“cross”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛkˈskɹu.ʃi.eɪ̯t/, /ɪkˈskɹu.ʃi.eɪ̯t/

• Audio (US):

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Verb

excruciate (third-person singular simple present excruciates, present participle excruciating, simple past and past participle excruciated)

1. (transitive) To inflict intense pain or mental distress on (someone); to torture.

   Synonyms: torment, torture; see also Thesaurus:hurt

   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene i:

     But this it is that doth excruciate
     The verie ſubſtance of my vexed ſoule:
     To ſee our neighbours that were wont to quake
     And tremble at the Perſean Monarkes name,
     Now ſits and laughs our regiment to ſcorne, […]

Related terms

• excruciating

Translations

to inflict intense pain or mental distress on (someone); to torture

• Azerbaijani: əzab vermək
• Bulgarian: измъчвам (bg) (izmǎčvam), тормозя (bg) (tormozja)
• Dutch: folteren (nl)
• French: torturer (fr)
• German: quälen (de)
• Russian: му́чить (ru) (múčitʹ), терза́ть (ru) (terzátʹ), истяза́ть (ru) (istjazátʹ)
• Spanish: torturar (es)
• Swedish: pina (sv)

Adjective

excruciate (comparative more excruciate, superlative most excruciate)

1. (obsolete) Excruciated; tortured.
   • 1616, George Chapman's translation of Homer's Odyssey

     And here my heart long time excruciate
     Amongst the leaves I rested all that night.

Latin

Verb

excruciāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of excruciō