Retort \Re*tort"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Retorted; p. pr. & vb.
n. Retorting.] [L. retortus, p. p. of retorquere; pref. re-
re- + torquere to turn twist. See Torsion, and cf.
Retort, n., 2.]
1. To bend or curve back; as, a retorted line.
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With retorted head, pruned themselves as they
floated. --Southey.
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2. To throw back; to reverberate; to reflect.
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As when his virtues, shining upon others,
Heat them and they retort that heat again
To the first giver. --Shak.
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3. To return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or
incivility; as, to retort the charge of vanity.
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And with retorted scorn his back he turned.
--Milton.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Retort \Re*tort"\, v. i.
To return an argument or a charge; to make a severe reply.
--Pope.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Retort \Re*tort"\, n. [See Retort, v. t.]
1. The return of, or reply to, an argument, charge, censure,
incivility, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or
severe response.
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This is called the retort courteous. --Shak.
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2. [F. retorte (cf. Sp. retorta), fr. L. retortus, p. p. of
retorquere. So named from its bent shape. See Retort, v.
t.] (Chem. & the Arts) A vessel in which substances are
subjected to distillation or decomposition by heat. It is
made of different forms and materials for different uses,
as a bulb of glass with a curved beak to enter a receiver
for general chemical operations, or a cylinder or
semicylinder of cast iron for the manufacture of gas in
gas works.
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Tubulated retort (Chem.), a retort having a tubulure for
the introduction or removal of the substances which are to
be acted upon.
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Syn: Repartee; answer.
Usage: Retort, Repartee. A retort is a short and pointed
reply, turning back on an assailant the arguments,
censure, or derision he had thrown out. A repartee is
usually a good-natured return to some witty or
sportive remark.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
retort
n 1: a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or
critical one); "it brought a sharp rejoinder from the
teacher" [syn: rejoinder, return, riposte, replication,
comeback, counter]
2: a vessel where substances are distilled or decomposed by
heat
v : answer back [syn: come back, repay, return, riposte,
rejoin]
WordNet (r) 2.0
137 Moby Thesaurus words for "retort":
acknowledge, acknowledgment, aerosol, alembic, answer, answer back,
answering, antiphon, anvil, aphorism, apothegm, atomizer,
back answer, back talk, backchat, backfire, bon mot, boomerang,
boutade, bright idea, bright thought, brilliant idea, caldron,
come back, come back at, come in, comeback, conceit, counter,
counterattack, counterblast, counterblow, countercharge,
counterfire, counterinsurgency, countermeasure, counterrevolution,
counterstep, counterstroke, crack, crucible, defense, echo, engine,
epigram, evaporator, evasive reply, exchange, facetiae, flash back,
flash of wit, flight of wit, gag, get back at, gibe,
give acknowledgment, give and take, give answer, give in exchange,
give in return, give-and-take, happy thought, hit back at,
interchange, jape, jest, joke, lathe, machine, melting pot, mortar,
mot, motor, nasty crack, persiflage, play of wit, pleasantry, quip,
quips and cranks, react, reaction, ready reply, rebut, rebuttal,
receipt, reciprocate, reciprocation, recoil, recrimination, reecho,
rejoin, rejoinder, repartee, replication, reply, repost, reprisal,
rescript, rescription, respond, respondence, response, responsion,
responsory, retaliate, retaliation, return, return answer,
return for answer, revenge, reverberate, reverberation, riposte,
sally, say, say in reply, scintillation, shoot back, short answer,
smart crack, smart saying, snappy comeback, spray, still,
strike back, stroke of wit, talk back, test tube, transducer,
transformer, turn of thought, vaporizer, wisecrack, witticism,
witty reply, witty retort, yes-and-no answer
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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