The confessions were obtained by what amounts to torture.是什么意思？

The confessions were obtained by what amounts to torture.

这些供状是用近乎逼供的方式得来的。

the

art. 指已提到的人（物），指说话人与听者已知的人（物），用于独一无二的事物前，与形容词最高级和序数词连用；

例句
He did have a real knowledge of the country...
他对该国的确知之甚多。

confessions

n. 承认( confession的名词复数 )，自首，声明，（向神父的）忏悔；

例句
It is strictly forbidden to obtain confessions and to give them credence.
严禁逼供信.

were

be的过去时复数和第二人称单数形式，有时代替 was,用于条件从句、动词 wish 之后等；

例句
Shops, houses, and vehicles were set ablaze.
店铺、房子和车辆全都陷于火海。

obtained

v. 获得( obtain的过去式和过去分词 )，买到，（规则、制度、习俗等）存在，流

例句
I had obtained the authentic details about the birth of the organization.
我已经掌握了有关该组织诞生的可靠的详细资料。

by

prep. 在…旁边，表示方式，由于，经过；adv. 经过，表示保留或保存时用，短暂拜访；

例句
...expensive make-up that we saw being advertised by a beautiful model...
我们所见的由一位漂亮模特代言的昂贵化妆品

what

pron. （用以询问某人或某事物的词）什么，多少，…的事物；adj. …的（事物或人）；adv. （用于感叹句中）；int. （用以表示不相信或惊奇），（用以表示未听清楚对方说的话）；

例句
How big is the abyss between what you think you are and what you actually are?
你对自己的认识和真实的你之间差别到底有多大？

amounts

n. 量( amount的名词复数 )，总额，金额，全部意义；

例句
It absorbed vast amounts of capital that could have been used for investment...
它消耗掉了原本可用于投资的大笔资金。

to

prep. 向，朝着，到，关于，属于；adv. 朝一个方向的，到某种状态，关闭；

例句
I suggest you leave it to an expert...
我建议你把它留给专家来解决。

torture

n. 拷问，折磨，痛苦，（精神上或肉体上的）折磨；vt. 使痛苦，使苦恼，使焦急，曲解；

例句
For many, the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.
对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。