EXCRUCIATION

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The infliction of extremely painful punishment or suffering

Synonyms:

crucifixion; excruciation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("excruciation" is a kind of...):

torture; torturing (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)

Derivation:

excruciate (subject to torture)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A state of acute pain

Synonyms:

agony; excruciation; suffering

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("excruciation" is a kind of...):

hurting; pain (a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "excruciation"):

throe (severe spasm of pain)

Passion; Passion of Christ (the suffering of Jesus at the Crucifixion)