• Extort

    Pronunciation

    • Rhymes: -ɔː(r)t

    Origin

    From Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere ("to twist or wrench out, to extort"); from ex ("out") + -tort, from torqueō ("twist, turn").

    Full definition of extort

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To wrest from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity; to wrench away (from); to tear away; to wring (from); to exact; as, to extort contributions from the vanquished; to extort confessions of guilt; to extort a promise; to extort payment of a debt.
    2. (transitive, legal) To obtain by means of the offense of extortion.
    3. (transitive and intransitive, medicine, ophthalmology) To twist outwards.
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