"carry the torch" meaning in English

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "carries the torch",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "carrying the torch",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "carried the torch",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "carried the torch",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "carry the torch (third-person singular simple present carries the torch, present participle carrying the torch, simple past and past participle carried the torch)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "carry a torch"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1941, “Jim”, Nelson Shawn (lyrics), James Caesar Petrillo and Edward Ross (music)",
          "text": "Someday, I know that Jim will up and leave me\nBut even if he does you can believe me\nI'll go on carryin' the torch for Jim\nI'll go on lovin' my Jim",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of carry a torch"
      ],
      "id": "en-carry_the_torch-en-verb-YP7448EL",
      "links": [
        [
          "carry a torch",
          "carry a torch#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "carry the torch"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "carries the torch",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "carrying the torch",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "carried the torch",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "carried the torch",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "carry the torch (third-person singular simple present carries the torch, present participle carrying the torch, simple past and past participle carried the torch)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "carry a torch"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1941, “Jim”, Nelson Shawn (lyrics), James Caesar Petrillo and Edward Ross (music)",
          "text": "Someday, I know that Jim will up and leave me\nBut even if he does you can believe me\nI'll go on carryin' the torch for Jim\nI'll go on lovin' my Jim",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of carry a torch"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "carry a torch",
          "carry a torch#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "carry the torch"
}