/ tɔːtʃ; NAmE tɔːrtʃ/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
( BrE ) (also flash·light NAmE , BrE ) a small electric lamp that uses batteries and that you can hold in your hand :
Shine the torch on the lock while I try to get the key in.
2.
( NAmE ) = blowlamp
3.
a long piece of wood that has material at one end that is set on fire and that people carry to give light :
a flaming torch
the Olympic torch
( figurative )
They struggled to keep the torch of idealism and hope alive.
•
IDIOMS
- put sth to the torch
—more at carry
■ verb
[ vn ] to set fire to a building or vehicle deliberately in order to destroy it
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French torche , from Latin torqua , variant of torques necklace, wreath, from torquere to twist. The current verb sense was originally US slang and dates from the 1930s.