n. 1. 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 Idioms: Slang To cause to burn or undergo combustion, especially with extraordinary rapidity, force, or thoroughness. 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 terkw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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