torrid

From Latin torridus, from torreō (“parch, scorch”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtɒɹɪd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtɔɹɪd/
• (New York City, Philadelphia) IPA^(key): /ˈtɑɹɪd/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒɹɪd

torrid (comparative torrider, superlative torridest)

1. Very hot and dry.
2. Full of intense emotions arising from sexual love; ardent and passionate.

   a torrid love scene in a film or novel

   • 2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world from whence it all came” (chapter 2), in Weather Balloons Make Rotten Sex Toys, Ellora's Cave, →ISBN, page 36:

     It was left to the famed Greek philosopher, Plato, writing some two hundred years later, to bring out the torrid details of these kinky islanders.

3. (chiefly UK) Full of difficulty.
   • 2010 January 24, Eddie Butler, “"Rugby must beware leaping from the lenient to draconian over gouging"”, in The Guardian:

     Tomás O'Leary had a torrid time behind the forwards, fumbling on the floor, hesitant with his kicks.

4. (chiefly US, sports) [of a streak, form, etc.] Good; impressive; hot.
   • 2019 July 22, James Wagner, “Yankees Face Another A.L. Powerhouse in the Twins”, in The New York Times, page B11:

     But thanks to a torrid stretch that started in mid-June, the Yankees have regained first place in the A.L. East and built the largest division lead — nine games ahead of the second-place Tampa Bay Rays — in the league.

• Note that senses 3 and 4 have opposite connotation.

• torrent
• toast

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɔrɪd/

torrid

1. (literary) imperfect/conditional impersonal of torri