torch

A torch is most literally a long stick with something burning at one end to give light. But it has also become a strong symbol. Think of the Olympic torch carried from Greece to represent peace and unity. In British English, "torch" is the usual word for what Americans call a flashlight. To "carry the torch" for a person, an idea, or a cause means to support it, keep it alive, or continue the work. In older times, torches helped people move through the dark, but now they often light up something more figurative too, like passion, a cause, or even love that is not returned.

A torch is fundamentally a source of light. Traditionally, it is a stick with flammable material at one end, like wood or cloth soaked in oil. For centuries, torches were vital tools for providing illumination in the dark, used by travelers and guards long before the advent of electricity. If you are in the UK, Australia, or India, however, a "torch" is the common term for a portable, battery-powered electric lamp (a flashlight). Whether it's a flaming piece of wood or a modern LED device, the purpose remains the same: to pierce the gloom.

Beyond the literal, the meaning of "torch" extends into deep symbolism. It represents hope, enlightenment, and knowledge. The Olympic torch relay is the most famous example—a tradition symbolizing peace and unity as it travels from Olympia, Greece, to the host city. This gave rise to the term "torchbearer," someone who leads a movement or carries a legacy into the future.

The word is also woven into several idiomatic expressions. To "carry the torch" for a cause means to keep it alive after others have moved on. However, if someone is "carrying a torch for someone," it often takes on a romantic, slightly melancholic tone, meaning they are still in love with someone who does not return the feeling or is no longer with them.

So, whether it is a physical light held aloft in a protest, the beam of a British flashlight in a dark cellar, or the metaphorical flame of an old romance, a torch represents a light that refuses to go out.