n. & v.
n. 1 (also electric torch) Brit. a portable battery-powered electric lamp. 2 a a piece of wood, cloth, etc., soaked in tallow and lighted for illumination. b any similar lamp, e.g. an oil-lamp on a pole. 3 a source of heat, illumination, or enlightenment (bore aloft the torch of freedom). 4 esp. US a blowlamp. 5 US sl. an arsonist.
v.tr. esp. US sl. set alight with a torch. carry a torch for suffer from unrequited love for. put to the torch destroy by burning. torch-fishing catching fish by torchlight at night. torch-race Gk Antiq. a festival performance of runners handing lighted torches to others in relays. torch singer a woman who sings torch songs. torch song a popular song of unrequited love. torch-thistle any tall cactus of the genus Cereus, with funnel-shaped flowers which open at night.
[ ME f. OF torche f. L torqua f. torquere twist ]