v. Also irreg. torrify. [a. F. torréfi-er (1566 in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. torrefacĕre to dry by heat, f. torrĕre to dry, parch, roast + facĕre to make: see -FY. (The spelling torrify follows terrify, horrify.)]
1. trans. To roast, scorch, or dry by fire.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXIII. Proem II. 147. To bring it into ashes, it must bee torrified in an oven.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., Introd. It’s hardly concocted … and torrifieth the bloud.
1819. H. Busk, Banquet, I. 234. The housewives … on the embers torrify their cake.
1883. R. Haldane, Workshop Receipts, II. 159/2. Taking care not to torrefy them too much.
b. To deprive of all moisture by heating, as a chemical or drug.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXVII. iv. II. 272. It [Aloe] ought to be torrefied in an earthen vessell. Ibid., XXXI. x. 422. Torrifie nitre untill it begin to looke blacke.
1713. Phil. Trans., XXVIII. 230. They torrify a Spoonful of white Cummin-seed.
c. Metallurgy. To roast, as ores, in order to deprive of sulphur, arsenic, or other volatile substance.
1686. Plot, Staffordsh., 188. Pyrites aureus (which if torrefy’d … prove all Iron Ores).
1806. Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., III. 100. To prepare iron-stone for the furnace, it must be roasted, or torrified, to expell all volatile matters.
1840. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., III. 415/1. It contains carbonaceous matter enough to torrify the stone and make it fit for the furnace.
2. intr. To become reduced to a cinder or ash; to become calcined.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 89. This Fat … is not melted by fire, but rather torrifieth.
