blowtorch

American  

[bloh-tawrch] / ˈbloʊˌtɔrtʃ /

noun

1. a small portable apparatus that gives an extremely hot gasoline flame intensified by a blast, used especially in metalworking.

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verb (used with object)

1. to weld, burn, or ignite with or as with a blowtorch.

blowtorch British  

/ ˈbləʊˌtɔːtʃ /

noun

1. a small burner that produces a very hot flame, used to remove old paint, melt soft metal, etc

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Etymology

Origin of blowtorch

First recorded in 1905–10; blow ² + torch ¹

Example Sentences

The Bruins came firing back, led by Dent, who basically took a blowtorch to the Trojans’ defensive plans.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2026

Left behind on the street outside the Louvre was the truck, a jerry can, a blowtorch, angle grinders, a walkie-talkie and yellow vests.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

Say what you will about Arthur Burns, but he had enough common sense not to give a pyromaniac a blowtorch.

From Slate • Sep. 5, 2025

She used food colouring to get the right shade of blonde for Swift's hair and a blowtorch to add a shine to her trousers.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2024

I felt like the vertebrae in my spine were being welded together by a blowtorch.

From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan