noun
torch
TAWCH
noun
1
A small portable light powered by a battery (British usage); in American English, a stick with a flaming end used as a light source.
"She grabbed a torch before heading into the dark basement."
verb
1
To deliberately set fire to something, especially as an act of arson.
"Investigators believe someone torched the warehouse for the insurance money."
"Rioters torched several cars outside the stadium."
How to Use Torch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA handheld light (UK) or flaming stick (US); as a verb, to set fire to something on purpose.
UK vs US
In the UK, "torch" usually means a battery-powered flashlight; in the US, "torch" implies actual fire, and Americans say "flashlight" for the battery device.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
shine a torch
torch a building
carry the torch
Word Forms
torched past tense, torched past tense, torches singular, torches singular
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She grabbed a _____ before heading into the dark basement.
Etymology
From Old French torche, probably from a Latin word for a twisted bundle of straw or fibre soaked in pitch and set alight.