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tormento

torment

noun tor-MEN-toh Rare

Origin: From Latin tormentum (instrument of torture), from torquere (to twist).

Also means

anguish

Usage Note

Tormento covers both physical pain and intense emotional suffering. The verb tormentare (to torment) is frequently used reflexively: tormentarsi = 'to torment oneself, to worry obsessively'. In popular music, tormento is also an informal word for an earworm or a catchy summer hit.

Examples

"Il rimorso era un tormento continuo per lui."

Natural Translation

Remorse was a constant torment for him.

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