torrenttor‧rent /ˈtɒrənt $ ˈtɔː-, ˈtɑː-/ noun [countable] 
After five days of heavy rain the Telle river was a raging torrent (=a very violent torrent).in torrents The rain came down in torrents.2a torrent of something a lot of words spoken quickly, especially in order to insult or criticize someone SYN stream: When I asked him to move, he unleashed a torrent of abuse.a torrent of Greek/Italian etc The woman poured out a torrent of Italian.
WORD ORIGINtorrent
Origin:
1500-1600 French, Latin torrens ‘burning, going very fast’, from torrere; ➔ TORRIDEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A torrent of water flowed down the street.
- After five days of heavy rain the Telle River was a raging torrent.
- Heavy rains had turned the small stream into a torrent.
- The river occasionally becomes a torrent after a downpour, and may even cause flooding.
- There was no shelter anywhere and the rain was coming down in torrents.
- And then I lost him among the boulders and small trees that marked the course of the torrent.
- As they neared the foot of the hill the sky opened and a heavy torrent fell mercilessly down.
- But former Rangers star Ferguson was having to put up with a torrent of abuse.
- He worried a story about him would draw a torrent of invitations from bookstores eager to have him in for holiday publicity.
- Soon after dark the rain descended in torrents, and all through the dreary hours of that dismal night it rained unceasingly.
- The criminal grand jury decided in October not to charge Washington, setting off a torrent of criticism in the black community.
- The defeat opened the sluice gates and venom flowed through in raging torrents.
Longman Language Activatora continuous movement of water
a continuous movement of water in a particular direction in the sea or in a river: · The currents in these parts could carry a boat miles out to sea.a strong current: · It's dangerous to swim in the sea here because the current is so strong.river/ocean/sea currents: · The tiny young drift on the ocean currents, until a few are lucky enough to land in a suitable place and begin a new life.
a large amount of water that moves quickly and strongly in a particular direction: · The river occasionally becomes a torrent after a downpour, and may even cause flooding.torrent of water: · A torrent of water flowed down the street.raging torrent (=very violent torrent): · After five days of heavy rain the Telle River was a raging torrent.in torrents: · There was no shelter anywhere and the rain was coming down in torrents.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY After five days of heavy rain the Telle river was a raging torrent (=a very violent torrent). When I asked him to move, he unleashed a torrent of abuse. The woman poured out a torrent of Italian.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
After five days of heavy rain the Telle river was a raging torrent (=a very violent torrent). When I asked him to move, he unleashed a torrent of abuse. The woman poured out a torrent of Italian. (=a series of rude or angry words)
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB· Still, what had previously been an increasingly lively stream, seemed suddenly to become a torrent.· During the spring the Sol becomes a torrent as melt waters vastly increase the volume of water.· After the autumn and winter rains the stream becomes a raging torrent, flowing in places along a deep ravine.· In the forest itself the streams became roaring torrents and the Swamp, doubled in size, became overnight a lake.· It winds up the hillside, and looks as if it could become a raging torrent in wet weather.
· The traditional wings of the Labour movement were afraid that Livingstone had unleashed a torrent - and they were right.· We were told the lawyers of Lord's were worried that a statement might unleash a torrent of writs against newspapers.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1a large amount of water moving very quickly and strongly in a particular direction: - As he started to talk seriously, Giap exploded in a torrent of words.
- But former Rangers star Ferguson was having to put up with a torrent of abuse.
- He worried a story about him would draw a torrent of invitations from bookstores eager to have him in for holiday publicity.
- In fact, behind the gags there's a torrent of strong feelings.
- Staggering over my own threshold again released a torrent of emotions.
- The criminal grand jury decided in October not to charge Washington, setting off a torrent of criticism in the black community.
- The growth of the farm-raised game movement brings with it a torrent of discussion.
- This produced a torrent of words but little effective action.
After five days of heavy rain the Telle river was a raging torrent (=a very violent torrent).in torrents The rain came down in torrents.2a torrent of something a lot of words spoken quickly, especially in order to insult or criticize someone SYN stream: When I asked him to move, he unleashed a torrent of abuse.a torrent of Greek/Italian etc The woman poured out a torrent of Italian.