torch

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torch

(tôrch)

a. A portable light produced by the flame of a stick of resinous wood or of a flammable material wound about the end of a stick of wood; a flambeau.

b. Chiefly British A flashlight.

2. Something that serves to illuminate, enlighten, or guide.

3. Slang An arsonist.

4. A portable apparatus that produces a very hot flame by the combustion of gases, used in welding and construction.

5. Longstanding unrequited romantic feelings for a person: My torch for her has finally gone out.

tr.v. torched, torch·ing, torch·es Slang

To cause to burn or undergo combustion, especially with extraordinary rapidity, force, or thoroughness.

Idioms:

carry a torch

To have longstanding feelings of love that are not requited: still carrying the torch for a man she knew in her twenties.

put to the torch

To destroy by fire; burn down.

[Middle English torche, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *torca, alteration of Latin torqua, variant of torquēs, torque, from Latin torquēre, to twist; see terk^w- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

torch

(tɔːtʃ)

1. (Electronics) a small portable electric lamp powered by one or more dry batteries. US and Canadian word: flashlight

2. a wooden or tow shaft dipped in wax or tallow and set alight

3. anything regarded as a source of enlightenment, guidance, etc: the torch of evangelism.

4. (Tools) any apparatus that burns with a hot flame for welding, brazing, or soldering

5. carry a torch for to be in love with, esp unrequitedly

6. put to the torch to set fire to; burn down: the looted monastery was put to the torch.

(tr) slang to set fire to, esp deliberately as an act of arson

[C13: from Old French torche handful of twisted straw, from Vulgar Latin torca (unattested), from Latin torquēre to twist]

ˈtorchˌlike adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

torch

(tɔrtʃ)

n.

1. a light, usu. carried in the hand, consisting of a stick of resinous wood, tallow-soaked flax, or some other flammable substance, ignited at the upper end.

2. something considered as a source of illumination, enlightenment, or guidance: the torch of learning.

3. any of various lamplike devices producing a hot flame, used for soldering, burning off paint, etc.

4. Slang. an arsonist.

5. Chiefly Brit. flashlight (def. 1).

v.t.

6. to subject to the flame or light of a torch.

7. to set fire to, esp. maliciously.

Idioms:

carry a or the torch for, to be in love with, esp. without being loved in return.

[1250–1300; Middle English torche (n.) < Old French < Vulgar Latin *torca a twist of straw, something twisted. See torque¹]

torch′a•ble, adj.

torch′like`, adj.

torch

funeral - Once was a torchlight procession, from Latin funis, "torch"—because funerals of the Romans took place at night by torchlight.
kindle - The verb is related to Old Norse kyndill, "candle, torch."
Drummond light - A torch that burns calcium oxide (lime) and gives off intense white light, it was named for Scottish engineer Capt. Thomas Drummond, R.E. (1797-1840), who invented it around 1825.
torch - From Latin torquere, it first referred to tarred twists of frayed rope.

torch

flashlight

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	torch - a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance flambeau - a flaming torch (such as are used in processions at night) light source, light - any device serving as a source of illumination; "he stopped the car and turned off the lights"
	2.	torch - tall-stalked very woolly mullein with densely packed yellow flowers; ancient Greeks and Romans dipped the stalks in tallow for funeral torches Aaron's rod, common mullein, flannel mullein, great mullein, Verbascum thapsus, woolly mullein flannel leaf, mullein, velvet plant - any of various plants of the genus Verbascum having large usually woolly leaves and terminal spikes of yellow or white or purplish flowers
	3.	torch - a small portable battery-powered electric lamp flashlight electric lamp - a lamp powered by electricity flashlight battery - a small dry battery containing dry cells; used to power flashlights penlight - a small flashlight resembling a fountain pen
	4.	torch - a burner that mixes air and gas to produce a very hot flame blowlamp, blowtorch burner - an apparatus for burning fuel (or refuse); "a diesel engine is an oil burner" oxyacetylene torch - a blowtorch that burns oxyacetylene
Verb	1.	torch - burn maliciously, as by arson; "The madman torched the barns" burn, burn down, fire - destroy by fire; "They burned the house and his diaries"

torch

noun

1. flashlight, light, lamp, beacon She shone a torch over the terrified faces.

2. firebrand, brand, taper, flaming stick They lit a torch and set fire to the chapel's thatch.

verb set fire to, burn, ignite, set on fire, kindle, set alight, incinerate, destroy by fire, set light to, reduce to ashes, put a match to The rioters torched the local library.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

torch

verb

Slang. To cause to burn or undergo combustion:

enkindle, fire, ignite, kindle, light.

Idioms: set afire, set fire to.

Translations

شُعْلَهقِنْديلكَشَّافٌ كَهْرَبائِيّ

baterkapochodeň

fakkellommelygte

Fackel Taschenlampe anzünden

δάδα πυρσός φακός

antorcha linterna

مشعل

taskulamppusoihtu

torche flambeau lampe de poche incendier

bakljadžepna lampa

fáklyazseblámpaelemlámpa

obor

kyndillvasaljós

torcia fiaccola fiaccolata incendiare

懐中電灯

손전등

faxtaeda

deglasfakelas

lāpalukturītis

zaklamp fakkel toorts

fakkel lommelykt

pochodnia latarka

lanterna lanterna de mão tocha

факел фонарик

baterkapochodeň

baklažepna svetilka

бакља

ficklampablossfackla

ไฟฉาย

el feneri meşale

đèn pin

手电筒火把

torch

[tɔːtʃ]

A. N

1. (flaming) → antorcha f, tea f
to carry the torch of democracy/progress (fig) → mantener viva la llama de la democracia/del progreso
to carry a torch for sb → estar enamorado de algn

2. (Brit) (electric) → linterna f

3. (Tech) (also blow torch) → soplete m

B. VT (= set fire to) [+ building, vehicle] → prender fuego a, incendiar

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

torch

[ˈtɔː^rtʃ] n

(British) (electric) → lampe f de poche

(= flame) → torche f
like a torch → comme une torche
The house went up like a torch → La maison s'est embrasée comme une torche.
a human torch → une torche vivante
to carry a torch for sb (fig) → en pincer pour qn

torch

n (lit, fig) → Fackel f; (Brit: = flashlight) → Taschenlampe f; (= blowlamp) → Schweißbrenner m; the torch of learning → die Fackel der Wissenschaft; to carry a torch for somebody → nach jdm schmachten; to carry the torch of or for something → ein eifriger Verfechter einer Sache (gen) → sein

vt (= to set fire to) → anstecken, anzünden

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

torch

[tɔːtʃ] n (Brit) (electric) → torcia elettrica, lampadina tascabile; (flaming) → torcia, fiaccola
to carry a torch for sb (fig) → essere innamorato/a cotto/a di qn

torch

(toːtʃ) noun

1. (American ˈflashlight) a small portable light worked by an electric battery. He shone his torch into her face.

2. a piece of wood etc set on fire and carried as a light.

torch

→ كَشَّافٌ كَهْرَبائِيّ baterka fakkel Taschenlampe φακός linterna taskulamppu torche džepna lampa torcia 懐中電灯 손전등 zaklamp lommelykt pochodnia lanterna de mão факел ficklampa ไฟฉาย el feneri đèn pin 手电筒

References in classic literature ?

Then they rushed in, waving the flaring torches and with assegais aloft.

Here in the cave were none but the dead, and, tossed hither and thither in their last sleep, they looked awful in the glare of the torches.

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"I will, please God," answered Sancho, and the two retiring to one side of the road set themselves to observe closely what all these moving lights might be; and very soon afterwards they made out some twenty encamisados, all on horseback, with lighted torches in their hands, the awe-inspiring aspect of whom completely extinguished the courage of Sancho, who began to chatter with his teeth like one in the cold fit of an ague; and his heart sank and his teeth chattered still more when they perceived distinctly that behind them there came a litter covered over with black and followed by six more mounted figures in mourning down to the very feet of their mules- for they could perceive plainly they were not horses by the easy pace at which they went.

View in context

I could have cried aloud in exultation when my scrutiny disclosed the almost invisible incrustation of particles of carbonized electrons which are thrown off by these Martian torches.

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All at once, a great galloping of horses filled the neighboring streets, and, with a long file of torches and a thick column of cavaliers, with free reins and lances in rest, these furious sounds debouched on the Place like a hurricane,--

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Will horsemen carry torches and pass them one to another during the race?

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If you went out at night, your ser- vants carried torches. There were no books, pens, paper or ink, and no glass in the openings they be- lieved to be windows.

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The Parsee, leading the others, noiselessly crept through the wood, and in ten minutes they found themselves on the banks of a small stream, whence, by the light of the rosin torches, they perceived a pyre of wood, on the top of which lay the embalmed body of the rajah, which was to be burned with his wife.

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No fewer than four silver candelabras, holding great waxen torches, served to illuminate this apartment.

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But when they got their electric torches, and focused them on the inert, black object, it was found to be a bear which had come to nose about the camp for dainty morsels.

View in context

The soldier with the basket soon got a light, and lighted three or four torches, and took one himself and distributed the others.

View in context

At the hall, on Eighth Street near Broadway, we got into the firemen's shirts and helmets, were equipped with torches, and, growling because we weren't given at least one drink before we started, were herded aboard the train.