Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TORRENT

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pronounce TORRENT: Say it "TORE ent." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Do you know why the words torrent and torrid look so much alike? The reason is a bit weird.  Both can be traced back to the Latin torrere, "to parch." That makes sense in the case of torrid, meaning "hot and dry." But a torrent is usually a cold, wet stream, so, what gives? Well, torrere, "to parch," forms the basis of torrentem, which means "hot, parching, boiling, or roaring," but also "a rushing, roaring stream." Hence, a torrent: a roaring, rushing stream of anything. A cascade. A downpour. An effusion. A d_l_g_ ("something that reminds you of a powerful flood"). A b_rr_g_ ("something that reminds you of a fast, violent stream of bullets"). Could you recall those last two? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)  definition: We took the word "torrent" from a Latin one meaning "a rushing stream, or any rushing or roaring." Literally speaking, a torrent is a stream of water that moves very fast. Here's a literal torrent, courtesy of M. Rehemtulla via Wikipedia: And figuratively speaking, a torrent is a stream of anything that seems to gush out (or down) quickly and violently. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Noun, the countable kind: "a torrent of criticism," "another torrent of complaints." Other common forms:  Torrents, torrential ("tore EN shull"), torrentially. how to use it: "Torrent" is dramatic but common. Used literally, it's a clear, exciting description of fast, violent rain or bodies of water. And used figuratively, its tone is usually negative: it emphasizes how things are happening fast, forcefully, and in great abundance. Most often, we talk about a torrent of something: "a torrent of angry words," "a torrent of intrusive questions," "a torrent of harsh criticism," "a torrent of loud complaints," "a torrent of phone calls and meetings." examples: "Words gushed from the chaplain in a nervous torrent."     — Joseph Heller, Catch-22, 1955 "At game's end, McCaffery went after McJunkins in the hallway leading to the locker rooms, unleashing a torrent of profanity that was heard by several reporters."    — John Feinstein, Washington Post, 21 March 2019 has this page helped you understand "torrent"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "torrent" without saying "cascade" or "cataclysm." try it out: Normally, the word "torrent" carries a negative tone. We talk about a torrent of lies, a torrent of criticisms, and a torrent of angry, unhinged tweets. But every now and again, "torrent" has a positive tone. Here's a lovely example. A writer for the Washington Post said this about Bob Kendrick, the president of a baseball museum: "The man is a torrent of enthusiasm, a tune composed of upbeats only, and my nominee for the greatest living museum tour guide." With this example in mind, talk about someone who seems to you like a torrent of enthusiasm, a torrent of jokes, or a torrent of happiness. If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game this month is Perfectly Cromulent Words! In each issue this month, match a scene from The Simpsons to the term that it calls to mind. To see the answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue. Try this one today: Does the scene below suggest the word cacophony, debacle, or factotum?   review this word: 1. TORRENTIAL is nearly the opposite of A. OOZING. B. TRICKLING. C. TUMBLING. 2. According to Wikipedia, BitTorrent is "one of the most common protocols for transferring _____." A. large files B. audio files C. sensitive data Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A Answer to the game question: Debacle. a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.