idiom / verb phrase · informal
carry a torch (for someone)
UK/ˌkæri ə tɔːtʃ fɔː ˈsʌmwʌn/US/ˌkæri ə tɔːrtʃ fɔr ˈsʌmwʌn/CAR·ry·a·TORCH·for·some·ONE
to have unrequited romantic feelings for someone; to pine for someone
Examples
“Even after they broke up, he still carried a torch for her.”
“She admits she has carried a torch for her college friend for years.”
“In novels this trope of a character carrying a torch often motivates key choices.”
Band 8 sentence
“Although they stayed friends for years, he quietly carried a torch for her long after she married.”
Collocations
- carry a torch for someone
- still carry a torch
Word family
Common mistakes
He carries a torch to her.→He carries a torch for her.
He carried torch for her.→He carried a torch for her.
Say it for a higher band
5like→6have a crush on→7+carry a torch (for someone)
Synonyms
harbour feelings
pine for
Easily confused
carry the torch (literally)
“During the ceremony, volunteers carried the torch through the stadium.”
Related words
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