Also 6 extorte. [f. L. extort- ppl. stem of extorquēre, f. ex- out + torquēre to twist.] literally, To wrest or wring (something) from a person; to extract by torture.
1. trans. To obtain from a reluctant person by violence, torture, intimidation, or abuse of legal or official authority, or (in weaker sense) by importunity, overwhelming arguments, or any powerful influence. Const. of, from, out of, † upon.
a. with obj. money, payments, etc. Also absol. to practise extortion.
1529. in Fiddes, Wolsey, II. (1726), 175. Not for good Order of the Diocess, but to extort Treasure.
c. 1555. Fisher’s Wks., Life, 141. Lykwise for diuers bribes extorted vpon manie of his subiects.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 287. He went … not to poll and pill, to extort and wring out of the people what he could; but … to do good.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., III. i. 48. The … Romans, did extort This Tribute from vs.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia (1629), 120. They would hold it worse than sacrilege to … extort upon the common souldier a penny.
1716–8. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. xxx. 98. The villages are so poor, that only force could extort from them necessary provisions.
1820. Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life, II. iv. 87. Taxes … are only extorted by threatening notices.
1883. Law Rep. 11 Q. Bench Div. 577. That the lord of a manor may ask for as much as he thinks that he can extort from the copyhold tenant.
absol. c. 1592. Marlowe, Jew of Malta, II. ii. With extorting, cozening [etc.] … I fill’d the jails with bankrouts in a year.
1598. Barckley, Felic. Man, II. (1603), 125. Bribing and extorting vpon his subiectes.
1764. Goldsm., Lett. Hist. Eng. (1772), I. 104. He extorted from the Jews … without any remorse.
1826. Hood, Death’s Ramble, ix. He knew that sort of man would extort, Though summon’d to all eternity.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 363. The rapacious governor had daily opportunities of embezzling and extorting.
b. with immaterial obj., actions, utterances, manifestation of feeling, concessions, acknowledgements, promises, etc. Said both of persons and of circumstances or influences.
1550. Bale, Image Both Ch., II. xvii. Confession in the eare was cruellye extorted of Christian people vnder … payne of death.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 5/2. They haue extorted into their own hands the plenarie fulness of power.
1659. Hammond, On Ps. vi. 6 Paraphr. 36. My agonies extort whole rivers of tears from me.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., III. i. § 15. Neither can hee deserve the name of a man, from whom the observation of the courses of the stars … does not extort gratitude.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., i. 13. The extorting a Confession of that Ignorance.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. § 14. Concessions, which the force of truth seems to have extorted from you.
c. 1750. Shenstone, Ruin’d Abbey, 175. No solemn bell extort a neighbour’s tear.
1771. Junius Lett., liv. (1820), 286. These praises are extorted from me.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. iv. 443. A situation which extorted the compassion of Englishmen.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. vii. 79–80. The barons extorted from the King power to elect twelve ordainers.
c. In literal sense: To wrest (a material object) from. rare.
1784. Cowper, Task, V. 189. Nations would do well To extort their truncheons from the puny hands Of heroes.
2. To extract forcibly, ‘wring’ (a sense or conclusion) from (a passage, premises, etc.).
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. i. 165. Do not extort thy reasons from this clause.
1653. Milton, Hirelings (1659), 31. From this example they never will be able to extort that the people in those days paid tithes to priests.
Mod. How can you extort any other meaning from the passage?
† 3. a. To practise extortion on (a person); in quot. 1561 with allusion to literal sense ‘to rack.’ b. To ‘torture,’ strain (a law). Obs.
1561. Godly Q. Hester (1873), 44. The commons he extorteth tyll they bee lame.
1612. Davies, Why Ireland, etc. 276. They did extort & oppresse the people.
1616. J. Lane, Sqr.’s Tale, xi. 360. Captives … to Greece transported, sold, and by these badd mistresses extorted.
1681. Crowne, Hen. VI., II. 14. We may extort the Law … to punish beyond bounds of Law.
Hence Extorting vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1599. Marston, Sco. Villanie, II. v. 196. Though he laid forth all his stock and store Vpon some office … he will trebble it … by his extorting wit.
1641. Tapsters Downfall, 7. Not branded with the extorting seale of avarice.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymns Festiv., Poet. Wks. 1721, I. 379. Matthew … set in his extorting stall.
1715. R. Nelson, Addr. Pers. Qual., 195. The many Abuses and extorting Arts, which are practised in those Houses of Bondage and Misery.
1771. Goldsm., Hist. Eng., III. 64. She took several very extorting methods by loans.
