Adjacent Words

Torrent definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TOR'RENT, n. [L. torrens. This is the participle of torreo, to parch; Eng. tear.]
1. A violent rushing stream of water or other fluid; a stream suddenly raised and running rapidly, as down a precipice; as a torrent of lava.
2. A violent or rapid stream; a strong current; as a torrent of vices and follies; a torrent of corruption.
Erasmus, that great injur'd name,
Stemm'd the wild torrent of a barb'rous age.
TOR'RENT, a. Rolling or rushing in a rapid stream; as waves of torrent fire.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a heavy rain [syn: downpour, cloudburst, deluge, waterspout, torrent, pelter, soaker]
2: a violently fast stream of water (or other liquid); "the houses were swept away in the torrent" [syn: torrent, violent stream]
3: an overwhelming number or amount; "a flood of requests"; "a torrent of abuse" [syn: flood, inundation, deluge, torrent]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle French, from Latin torrent-, torrens, from torrent-, torrens, adjective, burning, seething, rushing, from present participle of torr?re to parch, burn — more at thirst Date: 1582 1. a tumultuous outpouring ; rush 2. a violent stream of a liquid (as water or lava) 3. a channel of a mountain stream II. adjective Date: 1667 torrential

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a rushing stream of water, lava, etc. 2 (in pl.) a great downpour of rain (came down in torrents). 3 (usu. foll. by of) a violent or copious flow (uttered a torrent of abuse). Derivatives: torrential adj. torrentially adv. Etymology: F f. It. torrente f. L torrens -entis scorching, boiling, roaring f. torrere scorch

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Torrent Tor"rent, a. [See Torrent, n.] Rolling or rushing in a rapid stream. ``Waves of torrent fire.'' --Milton.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Torrent Tor"rent, n. [F., fr. L. torrens, -entis, fr. torrens burning, roaring, boiling, p. pr. of torrere to dry by heat, to burn. See Torrid.] 1. A violent stream, as of water, lava, or the like; a stream suddenly raised and running rapidly, as down a precipice. The roaring torrent is deep and wide. --Longfellow. 2. Fig.: A violent or rapid flow; a strong current; a flood; as, a torrent of vices; a torrent of eloquence. At length, Erasmus, that great injured name, . . . Stemmed the wild torrent of a barbarous age. --Pope.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(torrents) 1. A torrent is a lot of water falling or flowing rapidly or violently. Torrents of water gushed into the reservoir... N-COUNT: oft N of n 2. A torrent of abuse or questions is a lot of abuse or questions directed continuously at someone. He turned round and directed a torrent of abuse at me. N-COUNT: usu N of n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Rapid stream, strong current. 2. Rapid flow.

Moby Thesaurus

Niagara, antelope, arrow, belch, blue darter, blue streak, burst, cannonball, cascade, cataclysm, cataract, courser, dart, debouchment, deluge, dissiliency, eagle, effusion, electricity, eructation, eruption, express train, flare-up, flash, flood, flooding, flow, fresh, freshet, gazelle, greased lightning, greyhound, gush, gushing, hare, inundation, jet, jet plane, light, lightning, mercury, outbreak, outburst, outpouring, overflow, pour, quicksilver, rapids, river, rocket, rush, scared rabbit, shot, spate, spew, spurt, streak, streak of lightning, stream, striped snake, swallow, thought, thunderbolt, tide, volcan, waterflood, wind