1. (n.) Suffering death or persecution for one's beliefs\; the suffering of death on account of adherence to the Christian faith, or to any cause.

2. (n.) Affliction; torment; torture.

agony anguish atrocious pain bane blood bloodletting bloodshed braining clawing confinement cruciation crucifixion dealing death destruction destruction of life dismemberment dispatch estrapade euthanasia excruciation execution extermination flow of blood galleys gore hard labor hell hell upon earth holocaust horror immolation impalement imprisonment incarceration jailing keelhauling kill killing laceration lancination lapidation martyrization mercy killing nightmare passion penal servitude persecution picketing poisoning purgatory rack railriding ritual killing ritual murder rock pile sacrifice shooting slaughter slaying stoning strappado taking of life tar-and-feathering the gantlet torment torture