sb. (a.) [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 sb. 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 that at times is full of rushing water and at other times is more or less dry: cf. WINTER-BOURN.
[1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIII. iii. (Bodl. MS.). Of ryuers beþ twei manere kindes … one is icleped a lyuynge ryuer; þar 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.
1506. Guylforde, Pilgr. (Camden), 3. So firste we come to Torrens Cedron, which in somer tyme is drye. [Cf. Vulgate John xviii. 1, trans torrentem Cedron, in Lindisf. gl. ꝥ uinterburna cedron.]]
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. ii. 107. The Torrent roar’d, and we did buffet it With lusty Sinewes.
1609. Bible (Douay), Gen. xxvi. Comm., Torrent, the chanel where sometimes a vehement streame runneth, sometimes none at al.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 160. The wary Ploughman, on the Mountain’s Brow, Undams his watry Stores, huge Torrents flow.
1760. Johnson, Idler, No. 97, ¶ 5. Ho observed among the hills many hollows worn by torrents.
1835. Thirlwall, Greece, I. i. 14. The Ilissus … is a mere brook, which is sometimes swollen into a torrent.
1856. Stanley, Sinai & Pal., vii. 299. This green thread is the course of the torrent now called Kelt, possibly the ancient Cherith.
1858. Hawthorne, 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.’
1647. Clarendon, 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.
1744. Gentl. Mag., XIV. 698/2 They feel only that pain which they inflicted with the utmost wontonness of malice, and are overborn only by the torrent of invective, for which themselves first broke the banks, that they might turn it upon their opponents.
1784. Mme. D’Arblay, Lett., 14 Nov. She poured forth again a torrent of abuse.
1826. Margravine of Anspach, Mem., I. viii. 304. He was forced to follow the torrent of his notes [in music].
1845. S. 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.
1781. More, in Phil. Trans., LXXII. 52. The force of those violent torrents of wind.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), II. xiv. A soaking torrent of rain.
1821. R. Turner, Arts & Sc. (ed. 18), 37. Torrents of smoke and of flames, rivers of melted metals.
1839. De Quincey, Recoll. Lakes, Wks. 1862, II. 11. The moon arose, and shed a torrent of light upon the Langdale fells.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, x. 23. The rain coming down in torrents.
1858. Lardner, Handbk. Nat. Phil., 360. The torrents of liquid lava which flow from volcanos.
1860. Tyndall, 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.
1864. Lowell, 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, -bed, -flood, -line, -scar, -sound, -stream, -voice, -water; torrent-wise adv.; b. objective, as torrent-braving adj.; c. instrumental, as torrent-bitten, -borne adjs.; d. similative, etc., as torrent-like, -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.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xiv. 150. The evidences of *torrent-action were unequivocal.
1867. Lady Herbert, Cradle L., vii. 203. We rode through this same *torrent-bed, at this time of the year, dry.
1863. Atkinson, Stanton Grange (1864), 258. The huge sweeping wave whirling the *torrent-borne sticks and boughs.
1832. Tennyson, Pal. of Art, ix. In misty folds, that, floating as they fell, Lit up a *torrent-bow.
1777. Warton, Odes, VIII. vi. The foam-beat pier, and *torrent-braving mound.
1899. Camb. 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.
1825. J. Wilson, Poems, II. 209. Each misty cataract, and *torrent-flood.
1769. Pennant, Zool., II. 241. Salmon … gain the sources of the Lapland rivers in spite of their *torrent-like currents.
1865. Alex. Smith, Summ. Skye, I. 287. They stand with all their scars and *torrent-lines bare to the blue heavens.
1728. D. Mallet, Excurs., Wks. 1759, I. 92. A hundred *torrent-streams, Each ploughing up its bed.
1898. Westm. 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.
1862. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XII. xii. III. 379. These … fly *torrent-wise along the winds.
B. adj. Rushing like a torrent.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 581. Fierce Phlegeton, Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage.
1859. Tennyson, Enid, 1020. As one That listens near a torrent mountain-brook.
Hence Torrentful a., full of torrent or rush of words (whence Torrentfulness); Torrentless a., void of torrents.
1873. Symonds, Grk. Poets, Ser. I. vi. 162. The *torrent-fulness, the intoxicating charm of Pindar.
1911. B. W. Bacon, in Expositor, March, 205. The rainless, *torrentless, alluvial valley of the Nile.
