Word Study
extort
CIDE DICTIONARY
extort, v. t. [L. extortus, p. p. of extorquere to twist or wrench out, to extort; ex out + torquere to turn about, twist. See Torsion.].
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- To get by the offense of extortion. See Extortion, 2. [1913 Webster]
extort, v. i.
To practice extortion. Spenser. [1913 Webster]
extort, p. p. & a. [L. extortus. p. p.].
Extorted. Spenser. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
extort, v.tr. obtain by force, threats, persistent demands, etc.
Derivative
extorter n. extortive adj.
Etymology
L extorquere extort- (as EX-(1), torquere twist)
THESAURUS
extort
abstract, and, annex, appropriate, ask, ask for, badger, bag, blackmail, bleed, boost, borrow, bully, call for, challenge, cheat, claim, clamor for, coerce, cop, crib, cry for, defraud, demand, embezzle, exact, extract, filch, fleece, force, force from, get, gouge, hook, impose, indent, issue an ultimatum, levy, levy blackmail, lift, make a demand, make off with, milk, nip, obtain, order, order up, palm, pilfer, pinch, place an order, poach, pry loose from, purloin, put in requisition, rend, rend from, require, requisition, rip, rip from, run away with, rustle, screw, scrounge, secure, shake down, shoplift, skin, snare, snatch, snatch from, snitch, squeeze, steal, swindle, swipe, take, tear from, thieve, walk off with, warn, wrench, wrench from, wrest, wring, wring fromROGET THESAURUS
extort
Compulsion
VB compel, force, make, drive, coerce, constrain, enforce, necessitate, oblige, force upon, press, cram down the throat, thrust down the throat, force down the throat, say it must be done, make a point of, insist upon, take no denial, put down, dragoon, extort, wring from, squeeze, put on the squeeze, put on the screws, turn on the screw, drag into, bind, bind over, pin down, tie down, require, tax, put in force, commandeer, restrain.Taking
VB take, catch, hook, nab, bag, sack, pocket, put into one's pocket, receive, accept, reap, crop, cull, pluck, gather, draw, appropriate, expropriate, impropriate, assume, possess oneself of, take possession of, commandeer, lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on, help oneself to, make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution, intercept, scramble for, deprive of, take away, carry away, bear away, take off, carry off, bear off, adeem, abstract, hurry off with, run away with, abduct, steal, ravish, seize, pounce upon, spring upon, swoop to, swoop down upon, take by storm, take by assault, snatch, reave, snap up, nip up, whip up, catch up, kidnap, crimp, capture, lay violent hands on, get hold of, lay hold of, take hold of, catch hold of, lay fast hold of, take firm hold of, lay by the heels, take prisoner, fasten upon, grip, grapple, embrace, gripe, clasp, grab, clutch, collar, throttle, take by the throat, claw, clinch, clench, make sure of, catch at, jump at, make a grab at, snap at, snatch at, reach, make a long arm, stretch forth one's hand, take from, take away from, disseize, deduct, retrench, dispossess, ease one of, snatch from one's grasp, tear from, tear away from, wrench from, wrest from, wring from, extort, deprive of, bereave, disinherit, cut off with a shilling, oust, divest, levy, distrain, confiscate, sequester, sequestrate, accroach, usurp, despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home, drain, drain to the dregs, gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up, absorb, draw off, suck the blood of, suck like a leech, retake, resume, recover.Dearness
VB be dear, cost much, cost a pretty penny, rise in price, look up, overcharge, bleed, fleece, extort, pay too much, pay through the nose, pay too dear for one's whistle, pay top dollar.Greed
VB covet, crave (desire), grasp, exact, extort.Extraction
VB extract, draw, take out, draw out, pull out, tear out, pluck out, pick out, get out, wring from, wrench, extort, root up, weed up, grub up, rake up, root out, weed out, grub out, rake out, eradicate, pull up by the roots, pluck up by the roots, averruncate, unroot, uproot, pull up, extirpate, dredge, remove, educe, elicit, evolve, extricate, eliminate, eviscerate, express, squeeze out, press out.For further exploring for "extort" in Webster Dictionary Online