retort

retort¹ Definition

re·tort (ri tôrt′)

transitive verb

Etymology: < L retortus, pp. of retorquere, to twist back < re-, back + torquere, to twist: see tort

intransitive verb

to reply, esp. in a sharp, quick, or witty way, or in kind

noun

a quick, sharp, or witty reply, esp. one that turns the words of the previous speaker back upon that speaker
the act or practice of making such reply

retort² Definition

re·tort (ri tôrt′)

noun

a container, generally of glass and with a long tube, in which substances are distilled, as in a laboratory
a vessel in which ore is heated to extract a metal, coal is heated to produce gas, etc.

Etymology: Fr retorte < ML retorta < L, fem. of retortus: see retort

retort Synonyms

counter, rejoinder, response, comeback*; see answer 1.

retort Synonyms

rejoin, riposte, snap back, shoot back*; see answer 1. See syn. study at answer.

retort Usage Examples

Object

man: Mrs Vic was not reticent, she seemed to feel unconcerned " , retorted the man of the " Church " .

Converse of object

come: Very dry and well written humor that you can easily relate to, ' comes the retort in another.
make: Indeed some of the retorts made by government officials whenever this topic is brokered appear to be purely a tactic of obfuscation!
have: To which I 'd retort in good old swashbuckling style: " It's Phillip's choice.
offer: I can only offer the cliche retort: " I don't know why I did it - I just did it.
do: Don't ask Allah's Apostle too many things, and don't retort upon him in any case, and don't desert him.
crush: In racking his brains for a suitably crushing retort, he will probably forget what he is doing.

Adjective modifier

witty: What can be a witty retort can be hurtful.
sharp: The winner of this year's competition is a sharp retort to the question Do we need nature?
obvious: One obvious retort is a steady diet of hard drugs.
angry: Does A answer B's veiled insult with an angry retort or a gracious change of subject?
good: One of the best retorts I saw was from Mike Reid a few years ago.
loud: The recording picked up some loud retorts, which sound like gunfire or explosions.

Modifies a noun

stand: Then pour the mixture into the barrel of a syringe, held in a retort stand, pointing downwards into a small beaker.
house: The retort house can be found on your right hand side, identified by our FOR SALE board.

Modifying Another Word

quickly: Mama Ike quickly retorted " we are in mourning no-one has had time to cook.
angrily: He glares at me and angrily retorts, 'Don't gimme that crap, whit kinda life is it fur them?

Noun used with modifier

gas: Early gas retorts were made of iron in the form of a horizontal tube about 12 " in diameter.
iron: In 1792 he heated coal in a closed iron retort with a hollow pipe attached.
I: I suffocate in the smell of sodden earth. Can you ignore me just like that, friend? Stop it, I retort.

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