instrument of torture
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A device or tool specifically designed and employed to inflict severe physical pain or suffering, typically as a form of punishment, interrogation, or coercion.
Usage
This term refers to a physical object whose primary purpose is to cause torment. It is used in historical, legal, and human rights contexts to describe apparatus from various eras and cultures.
Examples
- Medieval museums often display instruments of torture like the rack or the iron maiden.
- The use of any instrument of torture is prohibited under international law.
- The interrogator threatened the prisoner with a dreaded instrument of torture.
Advanced Usage
- Figurative Use: The term can be used metaphorically to describe something that causes extreme mental or emotional anguish.
- The endless waiting was an instrument of torture for the anxious family.
Variants and Related Words
- Torture device: A more modern or general synonym.
- Engine of torture: An archaic or literary variant.
Synonyms
- Torment
- Torture device
- Engine of torment
Related Phrases
- Tool of oppression: While similar, this phrase emphasizes subjugation rather than the specific infliction of pain.
- Means of coercion: A broader term that includes torture but also other methods of forcing compliance.
Noun
- an instrument of punishment designed and used to inflict torture on the condemned person