crŭcĭātus, ūs, m., torture, torment, a torturing, execution, etc. (often syn. with supplicium; freq. and class. in sing. and plur.).
I Lit., of the body: dedisti hodie in cruciatum Chrusalum, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 36; id. Ep. 5, 1, 5; id. Ps. 3, 1, 12; Ter. And. 786; id. Hec. 773; Caes. B. G. 1, 31, 12; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 4, § 9; 2, 5, 63, § 163; id. Rosc. Am. 41, 119; Sall. C. 51, 15; id. J. 24, 10; Liv. 29, 18, 14 Drak. N. cr.; Quint. 5, 4, 2; Ov. M. 9, 179 et saep.: cruciatu malo dignus, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 132; id. Rud. 2, 6, 11.—
2 Of the mind: animi, Cic. Div. 2, 9, 23; cf.: omnes animi cruciatus et corporis, id. Cat. 4, 5, 10: confectus jam cruciatu summorum dolorum, id. Att. 11, 11, 1; Cic. Fil. ap. Cic. Fam. 16, 21, 2.—
B In gen., ruin, calamity, misfortune (esp. in curses, etc.): maximum in malum cruciatumque insiliamus, into utter ruin , Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 8: cum cruciatu tuo istaec hodie verba funditas, i. e. to thy ruin, misfortune , id. Am. 4, 2, 13; 2, 2, 161; id. Capt. 3, 5, 23: abi in malum cruciatum, go to the gallows, go hang , id. Aul. 3, 3, 11; id. Pers. 4, 4, 25; cf. crux, II.—
II Transf., instruments of torture : cum ignes ardentesque laminae ceterique cruciatus admovebantur, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 63, § 163.