Chinese water torture

noun

: 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

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!