torch
UK [tɔ:tʃ] US [tɔ:rtʃ] noun
ADVANCED countable UK (US flashlight)
■a small light which is held in the hand and usually gets its power from batteries 手电筒•She flashed/shone the torch into the dark room.她用手电筒照了照黑暗的房间。 ADVANCED countable
■a thick stick with material which burns tied to the top of it in order to give light 火炬；火把•a flaming/blazing torch熊熊燃烧的火炬 •literary Many buildings were put to the torch (= burned intentionally) during the riots.暴乱中，许多建筑物被付之一炬。 only singular approving
■used as a symbol of a political movement or idea that has an important positive influence （象征具有重大积极影响的政治运动或思想的）火炬•We must not let the burning torch of socialism go out.我们不能让熊熊燃烧的社会主义火炬熄灭。
UK [tɔ:tʃ] US [tɔ:rtʃ] verb transitive
■to burn a building or other large thing, intentionally and usually illegally 放火烧，纵火烧（建筑物或其他大型物体）•They smashed a side door to get in and then torched the warehouse when they had taken what they wanted.他们从侧门破门而入，拿走了他们所要的东西后，将仓库付之一炬。 |