ENGLISH
REFERENCE

torrent

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɔɹənt// UK //tˈɒɹənt// tor·rent

n. a large amount of something that arrives very quickly and all at once. It can describe a lot of water, a lot of information, or many angry words.

n. a fast-moving stream of liquid or a sudden, overwhelming outpouring of something abstract, such as data or emotions.


SIMPLE

The rain turned the small stream into a rushing torrent.

CONTEXTUAL

After the controversial announcement, the company received a torrent of angry emails from customers.

COMPLEX

The dam's failure released a massive torrent of water that reshaped the valley floor within hours, leaving behind a landscape of silt and debris.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

Borrowed from French torrent, from Italian torrente, from Latin torrentem, accusative of torrēns (“burning, seething, roaring”), from Latin torrēre (“to parch, scorch”).

Etymology 2

From BitTorrent and the file extension it uses for metadata (.torrent); ultimately from etymology 1, carrying the notion of the flow of information.

Usage

Often used metaphorically with 'of' to describe speech, data, or feelings.

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