A rotational or twisting effect of a force; a moment of force, defined for measurement purposes as an equivalent straight line force multiplied by the distance from the axis of rotation (SI unit newton metre or Nm; imperial unit [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound-foot_(torque)pound-foot] or lb·ft, not to be confused with the foot pound-force, commonly "foot-pound", a unit of work or energy)
"The archaeologists uncovered a golden torque around the neck of the Iron Age warrior buried in the mound."
A tightly braided necklace or collar, often made of metal, worn by various early European peoples.
In plain English: Torque is the force that makes something spin around an axis, like how hard you have to twist your wrist to open a stuck jar lid.
"The mechanic used his wrench to increase the torque on the bolt so he could tighten it securely."
Usage: Use "torque" when referring specifically to a twisting rotational force that causes an object to turn around an axis, rather than simple linear pushing or pulling power. In mechanical contexts, this term describes the turning effect generated by applying pressure at a distance from a pivot point.
To make something rotate about an axis by imparting torque to it.
"The mechanic applied force to the wrench to torque the bolt and secure the engine cover tightly."
In plain English: To torque something means to twist it with force, usually by turning a wrench on a bolt.
"The mechanic had to torque each bolt tightly before finishing the repair."
The word torque comes from the Latin verb torqueō, which means "to twist."