SINCE 1828
Chinese water torture
nounDefinition of Chinese water torture
: a form of torture in which a person is restrained and subjected to repetitive drips of water on the forehead
I heard beeping for two days … It was driving me crazy like Chinese water torture. — Carol Kallberg, Daily Record (Wooster, Ohio), 14 Oct. 2012
—often used figuratively Better to execute layoffs quickly and decisively, experts say … The alternate—the drip-drip-drip of repeated downsizings—is a Chinese water torture that kills morale and productivity.— Daniel McGinn, Newsweek, 25 June 2001
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on Chinese water torture
What made you want to look up Chinese water torture? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words from Greek and Latin Quiz
-
- Which of the following months comes from a Latin word for “ten”?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Words from Greek and Latin Quiz
Finally! A use for those SAT prep classes.
Take the quiz -
Name That Thing: Animal Edition
How many animals can you identify?
Take the quiz -
Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz -
Bee Cubed
Listen to the words and spell through all three levels.
Play the game
Share Chinese water torture
Resources for Chinese water torture