General
carry a torch
What does carry a torch mean?
To nurse a lingering, often hopeless devotion to a person who has moved on.
"Years later she was still carrying a torch for him."
Origin
1920s American romantic slang; the image is of holding a lit torch for an absent love. It gave rise to the 'torch song', the mournful ballad of unrequited love that flourished in the Jazz Age and is documented in period entertainment writing.
Frequently asked questions
What does carry a torch mean?
It means to stay in love with someone, usually someone who doesn't return the feeling.
Where does carry a torch come from?
It is 1920s slang picturing a person keeping a flame lit for an absent love, and it inspired the term 'torch song'.
What is a torch song?
A sad, slow ballad about unrequited or lost love, named directly from the phrase 'carry a torch'.
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