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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Torment, Turment, n. Also: twrment, tourment, towrment. [ME and e.m.E. tormenz (c1290), turment (a1300), torment (Ayenbite), tourment (Wyclif), OF to(u)rment, ONF turment, L. torment-.]

1. An instrument or means of torture; torture, physical pain inflicted as a method of influencing or punishing the victim; an instance of this.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 231.
I tald how-gat He thocht to put ws to torment Bot gyf we wil to hyme consent a1450 Fifteen Ois 233.
For my synnis deseruit haue I Till vnderga pane and torment 1533 Boece 271b.
Virgins … war constrenit owdir to contract mariage with Saxouns or ellis be marthirit with exquisite tormentis 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Fidiculae, ane kynd of torment with cordis 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 223.
Then was hee … convaied againe to the torment of the bootes … And notwithstanding all these grievous paines and cruel torments, hee woulde not confesse anie things 1622-6 Bisset II 239/13.
Gif any steillis any thing all and ane … salbe haldin to restoir the samin … and thairwitht condamned to the deid [pr. deip]: viz. torment ga [and] the rattis [F. la roue](b) a1400 Leg. S. iii 304.
All, that thar in wes Dwelland, he distrenȝit thare With twrment … Goddis lar to forsak, And sacrifice to ydolis mak a1400 Leg. S. xxii 116.
In presone he suld be done, Til he for turment Crist forsuke c1420 Wynt. iv 131 (C).
He … wmbethoucht hym … Withe qwhat turmentis men mycht be Punyst for thar iniquite, As fetteris or prisonynge, Stokkys, boyis or banyssynge 1513 Doug. vi ix 74.
By turment thame compellis thar cryme confes 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 525.
Ordanis the saidis personis to be put in the irnis and turmentis, for furthering of the tryall of the veritie(c) a1500 MS Rawl. Q. b. 4 91b.
Gude fadir … I pray thé Kepe me wele … That I neuir to tourment ga

b. specif. The torture suffered by Christ at the Crucifixion. a1400 Leg. S. iii 414.
I se wel now That full of wodnes is thi woce, Prechand the turment of the corse 1490 Irland Mir. III 25/21.
The saul … suld be deliuerit fra all syn … for the haly body humanite saule and flesch of Jhesu all the meritis and tormentis that thai sufferit in the glorius passioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 9/79.
Thai rasit him on hie, Reddie mair turmentis for to mak, O mankynd, for the luif of thé Arundel MS 255/4.
Thy grym passion, gret tormentis, grevous panis, Ingrauit sadlie in my spreit remanis

c. specif. The punishment of hell, the torture suffered by sinners in the next world. a1400 Leg. S. iii 639.
My passione wil endit be In a day, twa or thre, Bot thi tormentis sall leste … Mar thane a thousand of ȝeris 1490 Irland Mir. III 62/32.
The mar dilectacioun and plesaunce that the persoune has tane in the waurldly thingis the mar payn & tourment the saule mon susteyn a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1144 (Asl.).
The horrible panes & tormentis of hell a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1236 (Asl.).
In hell of corporale fyre is huge heit … That sall saire pvnis baith body & the spreit … O man consider this torment eternale 1513 Doug. vi ix heading.
Sibylla carpand tyl Ene gan tell The tormentis of deip drery paynful hell c1552 Lynd. Mon. 507.
Christ Jesu maid remede, Quhilk, on the day of iugement, Sall ws delyuer frome torment

2. (The state of) suffering more generally, (a set of circumstances or a situation causing) agony, pain or anguish; an instance of this. Also pl.sing. a1400 Leg. S. iii 631.
Quhen thu seis me In hard torment persewer Lowand myn God with gladsum cher ?1438 Alex. ii Prol. 20.
I will set myne intent To get lessing of my torment c1420 Wynt. ii 1294 (W).
Scho wald na wys pas him fra, Till that he gaif tharto assent Hir till allegis of hir torment c1475 Wall. x 1049.
Thai … tald him thair turment haill, Than wrait thai thus to get bwte off thair baill 1490 Irland Mir. II 43/6.
Ȝour blist sone Jhesus that … ȝe … had sic dolour passioun and tourment for quhen I was put on the croce deid and gravit in sepultur c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 173/6.
A schoirt torment for infineit glaidnes Arundel MS 286/233.
O quhat is he that wald nocht greit to haue sene the mothir of Crist into sa gret a torment? a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxiv 31.
Kisse with blisse; for this may mitigat My quent torment 1622-6 Bisset II 338/15.
[Those who] had bene in danger to loise thair lyves in ony torment and had eschaiped the samin, these … war called Confessouris 1644 Dalyell Darker Superst. 57.
Scho … was cured of hir disease, and fred of hir former tormentpl. c1420 Wynt. viii 1916.
In this dyvysyown [of the kingdom] innocentis Tholyd gret paynys and towrmentis 1528 Lynd. Dreme 301.
Our panis ar insufferabyll, And our tormentis to compt innumirabyll

3. A violent storm, a tempest. 1622-6 Bisset II 242/30.
Gif it chances that tormentis and tempest takis hir [sc. the schip] beand on the seæ