What is TORQUE

I'm not a mechanic and I need to know what torque is? In english not mechanic lingo with all the big words I'll even take an example.:confused:

Torque is measures in foot pounds and refers to the amount of work that can be done. The work is transformed into power for the car. When you hear someone say their car has a lot of torque, it refers to the "off-the-line" takeoff power that you have. check out http://www.howstuffworks.com in the engines and automotive section for detailed descriptions of torque and horsepower