ɛkˈskɹuːʃiːeɪtɪŋ ˈhæɹəʊiŋ ˈtɔɹt͡ʃɚ ˈtɔːt͡ʃə(ɹ) ˈtɔɹt͡ʃəɹəs ˈtɔːt͡ʃəɹəs the deliberate, systematic, or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons in an attempt to force another person to yield information or to make a confession or for any other reason it required unnatural torturing to extract a confession extremely painful