Meaning of torch in English

torch

noun

/tɔːtʃ/ us

/tɔːrtʃ/

Add to word list Add to word list

B2 [ C ] UK

(US flashlight)

a small light that is held in the hand and usually gets its power from batteries:

flash/shine the torch She flashed/shone the torch into the dark room.

_LeS_/iStock/Getty Images Plus/GettyImages

[ C ]

a thick stick with material that burns tied to the top of it, used to give light:

a flaming/blazing torch

be put to the torch literary Many buildings were put to the torch (= burned intentionally) during the riots.

Igor Golovniov/EyeEm/GettyImages

[ C ]

a tool that produces an extremely hot flame, used to heat metal, to remove paint from a surface, or to heat food so that it becomes sweet and brown:

If you have a cook's torch, use it to caramelize the sugar until it melts and goes brown.

Rescue workers were using acetylene torches to cut through railings.

Synonym

blowtorch

[ S ] approving

used as a symbol of a political movement or idea that has an important positive influence:

torch of She promised that the party would carry the torch of progress into the next decade.

More examplesFewer examples

The torch sends out a powerful beam of light.
The policeman walked along the street, shining a torch into every car.
The lighting of the Olympic torch symbolizes peace and friendship among the nations of the world.
She flashed the torch into the dark room.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Lighting & light fittings in the home

See more results »

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Tools

Signs, signals and symbols

torch

verb [ T ]

/tɔːtʃ/ us

/tɔːrtʃ/

to burn a building or other large thing, intentionally and usually illegally:

They smashed a side door to get in and then torched the warehouse when they had taken what they wanted.

Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples

to burn down or burn something down

burn downThe family home burned down in a matter of hours.
burn to the groundToday marks 400 years since the theatre burned to the ground.
go upAfter the initial explosion, the building went up in a matter of minutes.
go up in flamesThe precious collection went up in flames.
go up in smokeAll my life's work has gone up in smoke.
consumeAll her possessions were consumed in the blaze.

See more results »

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Starting fires

See more results »

(Definition of torch from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

torch | American Dictionary

torch

noun [ C ]

/tɔrtʃ/

Add to word list Add to word list

a stick that burns at one end and is held at the other end and is used esp. as a light:

Which athlete will carry the Olympic torch into the stadium?

fig. The torch is the basic responsibilities and characteristics of a group, organization, or society, esp. when someone new takes control:

After he retired, the torch passed to his daughter, who now runs the organization.

A torch is also a blowtorch.

torch

verb [ T ]

infml

/tɔrtʃ/

to burn something intentionally and usually illegally:

They torched the warehouse and ran.

(Definition of torch from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of torch

torch

In the bedlam, the crowds torched various buildings and vehicles throughout the city.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

What happens when the beams of light waves from two torches cross over?

From the Cambridge English Corpus

They turn off their torches and creep about on tiptoe in search of large crickets, following their chirping.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In the eighteenth century beggar-boys made a living on city streets lighting people's way with the use of 'links' - or torches of flaming pitch.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Onward they pressed their standards and bore down on their opponents, enveloping them in the flames of their own torches.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The nightgown and the torches confirm that the scene takes place at night, a fact already established in the dialogue.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The stagekeepers were colourfully costumed in light defensive gear, and carried torches and links.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Presumably candles were suitable exclusively for indoor performances, while torches and links were used for either indoor or outdoor performances.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

At night the search was done with torches and headlamps.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The issue of tapers versus torches is part of a larger set of problems linked to properties and stage business in this scene.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

People carried torches or lanterns to light their way and to warn others of their presence.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The team lacked torches, metal detectors, an engineer, an archaeologist, a photographer, a field diary, a dig plan and a clear leader.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Another aspect that constantly appeared in festivities was light, manifested in a great variety of forms like torches, bon®res and ®reworks.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Specifically, he noted the references to the four directions in the same order in both almanacs and the pictures of offerings, serpents, and torches.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Talk of the shining of torches and the searching of storage rooms is likely to produce the impression that the epistemological process envisioned was a lengthy one.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

See all examples of torch

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

What is the pronunciation of torch?

Translations of torch

in Chinese (Traditional)

手電筒, 火炬, 火把…

Meaning of torch in English

torch | American Dictionary

Examples of torch

Translations of torch

Browse

Learn more with +Plus

Learn more with +Plus