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torrent, n. (a.)|ˈtɒrənt|
[a. F. torrent (a 1200 in Godef. Compl.), ad. L. torrēnt-em burning, boiling, rushing, impetuous, pr. pple. of torrēre to scorch, burn; also as n. a torrent. Cf. the sense-transition of L. æstus fire, fierce heat, the surging or flowing of the sea, the tide.]
1. A stream of water flowing with great swiftness and impetuosity, whether from the steepness of its course, or from being temporarily flooded; more esp. applied (as in Fr.) to a mountain stream which at times is full of rushing water and at other times is more or less dry: cf. winter-bourn.
[1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xiii. iii. (Bodl. MS.), Of ryuers beþ twei manere kindes..one is icleped a lyuynge ryuer; þat oþer manere ryuer hatte Torreens and is a water þat comeþ wiþ swifte rees and passeþ; and hatte torrens for it creseþ in grete rayne and fordruyeþ in druye wedeir. 1506Sir R. Guylforde Pilgr. (Camden) 31 So firste we come to Torrens Cedron, which in somer tyme is drye. [Cf. Vulgate John xviii. 1, trans torrentem Cedron, in Lindisf. gl. þ̶ uinterburna cedron.] ]1601Shakes. Jul. C. i. ii. 107 The Torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it With lusty Sinewes. 1609Bible (Douay) Gen. xxvi. Comm., Torrent, the chanel where sometimes a vehement streame runneth, sometimes none at al. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 160 The wary Ploughman, on the Mountain's Brow, Undams his watry Stores, huge Torrents flow. 1760Johnson Idler No. 97 ⁋5 He observed among the hills many hollows worn by torrents. 1835Thirlwall Greece I. i. 14 The Ilissus..is a mere brook, which is sometimes swollen into a torrent. 1856Stanley Sinai & Pal. vii. 299 This green thread is the course of the torrent now called Kelt, possibly the ancient Cherith. 1858Hawthorne Fr. & It. Note-Bks. I. 247 We discerned the dry beds of mountain torrents, which had lived too fierce a life to let it be a long one.
2. a. fig. A violent or tumultuous flow, onrush, or ‘stream’, e.g. of words, feelings, opposition, etc.; a ‘flood’.
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §1 Those, who out of Duty and Conscience have opposed..that Torrent which did overwhelm them. Ibid. §70 The torrent of his Impetuous Passions. 1784F. Burney Let. 14 Nov., She poured forth again a torrent of abuse. 1826Margravine of Anspach Mem. I. viii. 304 He was forced to follow the torrent of his notes [in music]. 1845S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. I. 249 The near approach of the resistless torrent of Turkish power.
b. transf. A forcible stream or rushing body (of various physical things, as lava, loose stones, wind, light); also, a violent downpour of rain.
1781More in Phil. Trans. LXXII. 52 The force of those violent torrents of wind. 1806–7J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) ii. xiv, A soaking torrent of rain. 1821R. Turner Arts & Sc. (ed. 18) 37 Torrents of smoke and of flames, rivers of melted metals. 1839De Quincey Recoll. Lakes Wks. 1862 II. 11 The moon arose, and shed a torrent of light upon the Langdale fells. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast x. 23 The rain coming down in torrents. 1858Lardner Hand-bk. Nat. Phil. 360 The torrents of liquid lava which flow from volcanos. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. viii. 58 A torrent of what appeared to me to be stones and mud.
c. A mass of hanging foliage, drapery, etc. resembling in appearance a descending stream.
1864Lowell Fireside Trav. 284 A cliff over which the ivy pours in torrents. 1880‘Ouida’ Moths II. 271 A loose white gown that was all torrents and cascades of lace.
3. attrib. and Comb.
a. Simple attrib., as torrent-action, torrent-bed, torrent-flood, torrent-line, torrent-scar, torrent-sound, torrent-stream, torrent-voice, torrent-water; torrent-wise adv.;
b. objective, as torrent-braving adj.;
c. instrumental, as torrent-bitten, torrent-borne adjs.;
d. similative, etc., as torrent-like, torrent-mad adjs.e. Special combs.: torrent-bow, a rainbow formed in the spray of a torrent; torrent-duck, any species of duck of the South American genus Merganetta.
1856Kane Arct. Expl. II. xiv. 150 The evidences of *torrent-action were unequivocal.
1867M. E. Herbert Cradle L. vii. 203 We rode through this same *torrent-bed, at this time of the year, dry.
1863Atkinson Stanton Grange (1864) 258 The huge sweeping wave whirling the *torrent-borne sticks and boughs.
1832Tennyson Pal. Art ix, In misty folds, that, floating as they fell, Lit up a *torrent-bow.
1777Warton Odes viii. vi, The foam-beat pier, and *torrent-braving mound.
1899Camb. Nat. Hist. IX. 116 This peculiar and tame *torrent-duck is rarely seen on the sea, though it can fly from one gorge to another.
1825J. Wilson Poems II. 209 Each misty cataract, and *torrent-flood.
1769Pennant Zool. III. 241 Salmon..gain the sources of the Lapland rivers in spite of their *torrent-like currents.
1865Alex. Smith Summ. Skye I. 287 They stand with all their scars and *torrent-lines bare to the blue heavens..
1728D. Mallet Excurs. Wks. 1759 I. 92 A hundred *torrent-streams, Each ploughing up its bed.
1898Westm. Gaz. 1 Nov. 7/2 The feeding torrents might be diverted or blocked, and the Abyssinian *torrent-water might be so interfered with as largely to deprive the river of the fertilising matter which it carries in suspension.
1862Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xii. xii. III. 379 These..fly *torrent-wise along the winds.
B. adj. Rushing like a torrent.
1667Milton P.L. ii. 581 Fierce Phlegeton, Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage. 1859Tennyson Enid 1020 As one That listens near a torrent mountain-brook.
Hence ˈtorrentful a., full of torrent or rush of words (whence ˈtorrentfulness); ˈtorrentless a., void of torrents.
1873Symonds Grk. Poets Ser. i. vi. 162 The *torrent-fulness, the intoxicating charm of Pindar.
1911B. W. Bacon in Expositor Mar. 205 The rainless, *torrentless, alluvial valley of the Nile. |