Tornado, tor-nā′dō, n. a violent hurricane, frequent in tropical countries:—pl. Tornā′does.—adj. Tornad′ic. [Sp., tornada—tornar—L. tornāre.]
Torneament, an obsolete form of tournament.
Toroidal, tō-roi′dal, adj. shaped like an anchor-ring.
Torous, tō′rus, adj. swelling, muscular.—n. Toros′ity, muscularity.
Torpedo, tor-pē′do, n. a genus of cartilaginous fishes of family Torpedinidæ, related to the skates and rays, with electric organs on each side of the head, giving an electric shock when touched so as to produce torpor or numbness, the cramp-fish: a submarine weapon of offence, carrying a charge of gun-cotton or other explosive, and possessing powers of locomotion—in distinction to a submarine mine, which is stationary and used for defensive purposes:—pl. Torpē′does.—v.t. to attack with torpedoes, to explode a torpedo in or under.—adj. Torped′inous.—ns. Torpē′do-boat, a small swift steamer from which torpedoes are discharged; Torpē′do-boom, a spar for carrying a torpedo, projecting from a boat or anchored in a channel; Torpē′do-catch′er, a swift vessel for capturing torpedo-boats; Torpē′doist, one skilled in the management of torpedoes; Torpē′do-net, a net of wire hung at some distance round a ship to intercept torpedoes. [L.,—torpēre, to be stiff.]
Torpescent, tor-pes′ent, adj. becoming torpid or numb.—n. Torpes′cence. [L., pr.p. of torpescĕre, to become stiff—torpēre, to be stiff.]
Torpid, tor′pid, adj. stiff, numb: having lost the power of motion and feeling: sluggish, dormant: pertaining to the Torpids, or Lent boat-races, at Oxford.—n. a second-class racing boat, or one of its crew.—n. Torpid′ity.—adv. Tor′pidly.—n. Tor′pidness.—v.t. Tor′pify, to make torpid.—ns. Tor′pitude, state of being torpid: numbness: dullness: stupidity; Tor′por, numbness: inactivity: dullness: stupidity. [L. torpidus—torpēre.]
Torque, tork, n. a twisting force: a necklace of metal rings interlaced.—adjs. Tor′quate, -d, collared; Torqued′, twisted. [L. torques—torquēre, to twist.]
Torrefy, tor′e-fī, v.t. to scorch: to parch:—pa.t. and pa.p. torr′efied.—n. Torrefac′tion, act of torrefying: state of being torrefied. [L. torrēre, to dry, to burn, facĕre, to make.]
Torrent, tor′ent, n. a rushing stream: a strong or turbulent current.—adj. rushing in a stream.—ns. Torr′ent-bow, a bow of prismatic colours formed above the spray of a torrent; Torr′ent-duck, a merganser of genus Merganetta, found in the swift water-courses of the Andes.—adj. Torren′tial, of the nature of a torrent, produced by the agency of rapid streams: overwhelmingly voluble.—n. Torrential′ity.—adv. Torren′tially. [L. torrens, -entis, boiling, pr.p. of torrēre, to dry.]