topsyturvyfication 
npMtting; :i turning upside down. [Ludi- 
crous. | 
" Valuntinr " W:IH followed by " Leila," . . . u regular 
tvpgytiir<<tln-"tii>,i "i niniulity. 
Thackeray, I'aris Skttrh.II.mk, Muilainc s'liml. 
topsyturvyfy (top-s'i-ler'vi-1'i), r. I. ; |jret. iiml 
pp. toptyturtyflea, \>\>r. toptytwvjffltiitg. [< to/i- 
mi/itrry + -fy.] To make topsyturvy. [L'ol- 
loq.] 
Vivfmtcliuii in t'>ji*iftui-ritjii'il in a manner fur IIMIII plr.r - 
Illg t<> hnni nut \ . 
Iliiilii Tijri/riijih, Suv. M, l--.'i, ]i. i (Enryf. Did.) 
topsyturvyism (top-si-tor'-vi-izm), . [< <//.//- 
//;// + -I'XIH.J Tin' hiibit or state of topsy- 
turviness. Cited l>v /'. Hull iu Tho Nation, 
March is. issii. p. _'(. fKarc.] 
top-tackle (top'tuk''!), . .Vn</., a heavy 
tackln which is applied to the top-pendant in 
liddin;' or unfidding a topmast. 
toptail (top'tal), v. i. To turn the tail up and 
the head down, as a whale iu diving. 
top-timber (top'tim'ber), n. Jfaut., one of the 
uppermost timbers in the side of a vessel Long 
top-timber, the timber above each of the flret futtocks 
Short top-timber, the timber above each of the second 
futtocks. 
top-tool (top'tol), . A forging-tpol resembling 
a cold-chisel or a short thick spike, held when 
in use by means of a flexible handle of hazel- 
wood or wire. When its cutting edge is round 
it is called a top-fuller. 
toquaket, v. t. [ME. toquaken; < to-2 + miakc.] 
To quake exceedingly. Bom. of the Rose, \. 
2527. 
toquasht, f. t. [ME. toquasshen; < (o- 2 4 quash' 1 .] 
To beat or crush to pieces. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), 
iii. 629. 
toque (tok), n. [< F. toque (= Sp. toca = Pg. tou- 
ca = It. toccu), a hat, bonnet, prob. < Bret, tok = 
W. toe, hat, bonnet.] 1. A head-covering for- 
merly worn by men and women a diminished 
form of the hat with turned-up brim. It gradual- 
ly approached the shape of a very small light cap of silk, 
Women's Toques of the i6th century, from portraits of the time. 
(From " L'Art pour Tous.") 
which was surrounded and compressed by a band of twist- 
ed silk, or of richer material, in such a way as to give it a 
slight resemblance to a hat with a brim. Its complete form 
was reached about 1560. It was generally adorned with a 
small plume. 
The Swisse in black velvet toque*, led by 2 gallant cava- 
lieres habited in scarlet-colour d sattln. 
Evelyn, Diary, Sept. 7, 1651. 
The ordinary head dress [at Lha' Ssa] is a blue toque, 
with a wide rim of black velvet, surmounted with a red 
knot. 
live, Travels (trans. 1852), II. 140. 
Ills velvet toque stuck . . . upon the side of his head. 
Motley. (Imp. Diet.) 
2. A small bonnet in the shape of a round, 
close-fitting crown without a projecting brim, 
worn by women in the nineteenth century. 
Her delicate head, sculptitresquely defined by Its toque. 
floweUg, Indian Summer, ii. 
3. The bonnet-macaque, Macacus sincnsis, so 
called from the arrangement of the hairs of 
the head into a kind of toque or cap; also, 
some similar monkey, as M. pileolatus of Cey- 
lon. See cut under bonnet-macaque. 4. A 
small nominal money of account, used in trad- 
ing on some parts of the west coast of Africa. 
Forty cowries make one toque, and five toques one hen or 
gallinha. Simmondg. 
tor 1 (tor), H. [< ME. tor (torr-), < AS. torr, tor, 
a high rock, a lofty hill, alsoatower,< OW.*tor,a 
hill, \V. tor, a knob, boss, bulge, belly, = Ir. torr, 
tor = Gael, torr, a lofty conical hill, a mound, 
eminence, heap, pile, tower; cf. W. twr, a heap, 
pile, tower, = L. turris, a tower: see tower."] A 
hill ; a rocky eminence. The word is especially ap- 
plied to the rugged and fantastic piles of granite conspic- 
uous on Dartmoor, in Devonshire, England. These are 
ragged outcrops left by decay and erosion of the rock, and 
crown many of the higher points of the moor. 
There a tempest horn toke on the torre* hcgh. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1963. 
6389 
lMth> shirr in famous for IN giant Torn. The word is 
applied in l>r rbyHliiiv to :tny lofty maaa of precipitous 
rock, just as "scar" i* nsn| in VoikHhire. 
llni/llmrii, All about Derbyshire, p. 304. 
tor'-'t, . See tiii-i -. 
tor 3 *, ". A Middle English form of lover. 
tor't, tore 4 t, . [ME. tin: Inn, li'in; < Icel. tor- 
= OH(i. zur- = (iotli. tM*-(UM only in comp.), 
hard, difficult, = (Jr. five-, hard, ill : see to-i anil 
<%-.] 1. Hard; difficult; wearisome; tedious. 
So mony meruayl bi mount ther the mon fymlez 
Hit were to tore for to telle of the tcnthe dnlf. 
Sir Oaicayne and the Green Knight (E. E. T. 8.), L 719. 
Thof thai louche me with tent-, all these tore harmes. 
Detraction of Troy (E. E. T. 9.), 1. \OilS. 
2. Strong; sturdy; great; massive. 
In this Temple was a tor ymage, all of triet gold, 
In honour of Aopolyn, that I ere salde. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. 8.), I. 4279. 
3. Full; rich. 
Trowe ye not Troy Is tore of all godls ? 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 3348. 
toracet, r. /. [ME. toracen, torasen; < to- 2 + 
race 6 .] To tear in pieces. Chaucer, Clerk's 
Tale, 1. 516. 
torah (to'rii), H. [Also thorah; Heb.] In an- 
cient Hebrew literature, any decision or in- 
struction in matters of law and conduct given 
by a sacred authority ; the revealed will of God ; 
specifically, the (Mosaic) law; hence, the book 
of the law, the Pentateuch. 
toran (to'ran), n. [< Hind, toran, torana, < Skt. 
torana, an arched gateway, an arch, < -\/ tur, a 
collateral form of -\/ tar, pass.] In Buddhist 
arch., the gateway of a sacred rail, in wood or 
in stone, consisting essentially of an upright or 
pillar on each side, with a projecting crosspiece 
resting upon them. Typically there are three of these 
croaspieces superimposed, and the whole monument Is 
frequently elaborately sculptured. The torans of Bharhut 
and of Saiu'hi In Central India are especially elaborate. 
toratt, r. t. [ME. toratten; < to- 2 + ratten (= 
MHG. rotom), lacerate, tear.] To tear asun- 
der; scatter; disperse. 
Thane the Romayns relevyde, that are ware rebuykkydc, 
And alle to-ratty* oure mene with thelre rlste horsses. 
Morte Arthure (E. E. T. 8.X L 2235. 
Torbane Hill mineral. Same as Boghead coal 
(which see, under coal). 
torbanite (tor'ban-it), w. K Torbane (Torbane 
Hill in Linlithgowshire, Scotland) + -tfe2.] 
Boghead coal. See coal. 
torbernite (t6r'b6r-nit), . [Named after the 
Swedish naturalist and chemist Torbern Olof 
Bergmann (1733-84).] A native phosphate of 
uranium and copper, occurring in square tabu- 
lar crystals of a bright-green color, pearly lus- 
ter, and micaceous cleavage. Also called" chal- 
colite, and copper uranite. 
torbite (tor 'bit), . [Origin obscure.] The 
trade-mark name of a preparation of peat, at- 
tempted to be introduced into general use in 
Lancashire, England, about 1865. It was made by 
pulping the peat, molding it into blocks, and then drying 
it. The material thus prepared was converted into char- 
coal for smelting purposes, or partially charred for use as 
fuel for generating steam, or In the puddling-furnace. 
Many attempts have been made in England, France, and 
Germany to utilize peat in this way, hut their success has 
been small. 
tore,". See torque. - Bulbous tore. Seefruflioiw. 
torcet, n. An obsolete spelling of Corse'. 
torch 1 (torch), . [< ME. torche, < OF. (and F.) 
torclte = Pr. torcha = It. torcia (cf. Sp. antorchu, 
a torch), < ML. tortia, a torch, so called as made 
of a twisted roll of tow or other material, < L. 
tortus, pp. of torquere, twist: see tort 1 . Cf. force, 
torse 1 .'] 1. A light to be carried in the hand, 
formed of some combustible substance, as resi- 
nous wood, or of twisted flax, hemp, etc., soaked 
with tallow or other inflammable substance; 
a link; a flambeau. 
Loke that je haue candele, 
Torches bothe falre & fele. 
King Born (E. E. T. S.), p. 91. 
An angry gust of wind 
Fuff'd out his torch. 
Tennyson, Merlin and Vivien. 
2. An oil-lamp borne on a pole or other appli- 
ance for carrying a light easily and without dan- 
ger Flyingtorch. Seeflying-tonh. Inverted torch, 
a torch held with the top downward, to signify the extinc- 
tion of life : the emblem of death : with reference to the 
Greek representation of Death (Thanatos), holding a torch 
so reversed. Plumbers' torch, a large spirit-lamp In 
the form of a cone. 
torch 1 (t&rch), r. i. [< torch*, .] 1. To fish 
with the aid of a torch by night. Fisheries of 
r. S., V. ii. 502. [U. S.] 2. To flare or smoke 
like a torch ; rise like the smoke from a torch : 
with up: as, how those clouds torch up! Halli- 
u-fll. [Prov. Eng.] 
Bronze Torchere. I7th cen- 
tury. (From " L'Art pour 
Tous.") 
torchwort 
torch- (torch), r. t. [< r'. /<. /<//. wipe, liejit 
(cf. tiii-i'lii.i. miii'turof loam :ind ftr:iw>. < tnrrln: 
lit. u Iwi-t : see f ( r/il.] In jilafti /<</. to point 
with lime and hair: said of the iii-i.li- joints of 
slating hii.l on hithing. 
torch-bearer (ti'jn-li'bar'er), . One who bears 
a torch. 
Fair Jessica shall be my torch brarrr. 
Shot., M. of V., II. 4. 40. 
torch-dance (torch'diins),H. A dance performed 
by a number of persons some of whom carry 
lighted torches, 
torcher (tor'cher), )/. [< torrid + -('.] It. 
One who gives or provides a bright light, as if 
bearing a torch. [Rare.] 
Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring 
Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring. 
.X'Artfr., All's Well, ii. 1. 1. 
2. Specifically, one who torches for fish. [U.S.] 
torchere (F. pron. tdr- 
shar'), n. [F. torchere, < 
torc/ie,torch : see furr/tl.J 
A large candelabrum, 
especially when decora- 
tive ami made of valu- 
able material, as bronze, 
rare marble, or the like : 
when made of wood it 
is sometimes termed 
gueridim . 
torch-fishing (tflrch'- 
fish'ing), ii. Same as 
torching. 
torching (tdr'ching), ii. 
[Verbal n. of torch 1 , r.] 
A method of capturing 
fish by torch-light at 
night. It is practised 
chiefly in the fall, when 
the fish are abundant. 
Also called driving and 
fire-fishing. 
tbrciless (tdrch'les), a. 
[<toro/il + -less."] Lack- 
ing torches; unlighted. 
Byron, Lara, ii. 12. 
torch-light (torch'lit), n. [< ME. torche-light; 
< toir/ii + tightl.] The light of a torch or of 
torches. 
She brought hym to his bedde with torche Kyht. 
Qenerydes (E. E. T. S.), I. 149. 
Statflius show d the torch-light. Shot., J. 0., v. 5. 2. 
torch-lily (tdrch'lil'i), H. See Kniphofia. 
torchon board. A board covered with torchon 
paper: used by artists for water-color drawing, 
etc. 
torchon lace. See lace. 
torchon mat. A picture-frame mat, made of 
torchon paper. 
torchon paper. [So named from the F. torcher, 
rub, cleanse by rubbing, torchon, dish-cloth.] 
A paper with a rough surface, used for paint- 
ing on in water-color, and also for mats in pic- 
ture-framing. 
torch-pine (tdrch'pin), n. See pine 1 . 
torch-race (tdrch'ras), H. In Gr. antiq., a race 
at certain festivals, in which the runners car- 
ried lighted torches, the prize being awarded to 
the contestant who first reached the goal with 
his torch still burning. In some forms of this race 
relays of runners were posted at intervals, and the burn- 
ing torch was passed on from one to the next. Very fre- 
quently it was associated with the woralilpof Helioa(Apol- 
lo)or Selene (Artemis), or of some fire-god, as Hephaestus 
(Vulcan) or Prometheus. See lampadephuria. 
torch-staff (tflrch'staf ), n. The staff of a torch, 
by which it is carried. Compare torch*, 2. 
The horsemen sit like fixed candlesticks. 
With torch ttacff in their hand. 
Shot., Hen. V., Iv. 2. 40. 
torch-thistle (torch'this'l), . A columnar cac- 
tus of the genus Ceretts, the stems of some spe- 
cies of which have been used by the Indians for 
torches. Sometimes the name is extended to 
the whole genus. 
torch-WOOtt (tdrch'wud), w. 1. Wood suitable 
for making torches. Holland, tr. of Plutarch, 
p. 562. 2. A tree of the rutaceous genus 
Amyris, either A. maritima of Florida and the 
West Indies, or A. balsamifera of the West 
Indies. A. maritima Is a slender tree reaching 50 feet 
high ; the wood is very hard and durable, suitable for one 
in the arts, could it be had in large quantities, very real- 
nous, and much used for fuel on the Florida keys. A. 
Imlsnuiifrrn is smaller, very fragrant In burning, used to 
scent dwellings. In the West Indies the shrub Catearia 
(Thiodia) serrata of the Samydacete Is also so called. 
torchwort (t6rch'wert), n. The mullen. Com- 
pare hag-tajx i: 
