torque

/tɔrk/

/tɔk/

Other forms: torques

If you have ever tightened a bolt with a wrench, or tried to get the lid off a jar of strawberry jam, then you have dealt with the concept of torque — a twisting action or a turning force.

The word torque, which rhymes with fork, is used in the field of physics as a measure of rotational force. For example, how much strength does it take to move an object, such as a screwdriver, around an axis, such as a screw? In ancient times, a torque was a necklace made of twisted metal. Now, torque is commonly used to describe the power of sports cars and their ability to accelerate, since car engines operate with rotating parts.

Definitions of torque

1. noun

   a twisting force
   synonyms: torsion

   types:

   magnetic moment, moment of a magnet

   the torque exerted on a magnet or dipole when it is placed in a magnetic field

   type of:

   force

   (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity