Third-person singular present tense of 'extort'; obtains something from someone through force, threats, or blackmail.
From Latin 'extorquere' (ex- 'out' + torquere 'to twist'), literally 'to twist out.' The verb form describing the action of extortion.
The core 'torque' in 'extort' is literally about twisting—which is why 'torture' comes from the same root; both involve applying pressure to force something out.
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