torque

UK/tɔːk/US/tɔɹk/

nounB2+Occasional — familiar, but not everyday · #9,483 of 15,258leans written

Other forms: torques

Torque is the turning force applied to something. Engine torque, a torque wrench, apply the correct torque.

It is force times distance from the pivot, which is why a longer spanner turns a tight nut more easily. A torque wrench clicks at a set value, and bolts on an engine or a wheel must be tightened to a specified figure rather than as hard as possible.

Definitions of torque

1nountorqueThe turning force applied to something.B2+
“This engine produces a lot of torque, so the truck can pull heavy loads uphill.”

torque is a force.

Where it comes from

Latin torquere means to twist. Torture, torment and torsion are all relatives.

Proto-Indo-European
*terkʷ-
Latin
torqueō — to twist
English, today
torque

Latin torqueō (“to twist”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

torque in the wild

For example, when driving a screw, a screwdriver applies torque to the screw, causing it to tend to rotate around its axis.
Torque
Motors vary in size, speed, step resolution, and torque.
Stepper motor
"Even though torque has the same dimension as energy (SI unit joule), the joule is never used for expressing torque".
Newton-metre
A torc, also spelled torq or torque, is a large rigid or stiff neck ring in metal, made either as a single piece or from strands twisted together.
Torc
A torque wrench is a tool used to apply a specific torque to a fastener such as a nut, bolt, or lag screw.
Torque wrench

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Related words

the torqueō family

torch

torque — used about once every 4,601 pages · #9,483 · point at the bar for the others

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