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Webster 1913 Edition

Retort

Re-tort′

,
Verb.
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
,
Noun.
, 2.]
1.
To bend or curve back;
as, a
retorted
line
.
With
retorted
head, pruned themselves as they floated.
Southey.
2.
To throw back; to reverberate; to reflect.
As when his virtues, shining upon others,
Heat them and they
retort
that heat again
To the first giver.
Shakespeare
3.
To return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or incivility;
as, to
retort
the charge of vanity
.
And with
retorted
scorn his back he turned.
Milton.

Re-tort′

,
Verb.
I.
To return an argument or a charge; to make a severe reply.
Pope.

Re-tort′

,
Noun.
[See
Retort
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
The return of, or reply to, an argument, charge, censure, incivility, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or severe response.
This is called the
retort
courteous.
Shakespeare
2.
[F.
retorte
(cf. Sp.
retorta
), fr. L.
retortus
, p. p. of
retorquere
. So named from its bent shape. See
Retort
,
Verb.
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.
Tubulated retort
(Chem.)
,
a retort having a tubulure for the introduction or removal of the substances which are to be acted upon.
Syn. – Repartee; answer.
–
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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Retort

RETORT'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. retortus, retorqueo; re and torqueo, to throw.]
1.
To throw back; to reverberate.
And they retort that beat again to the first giver.
2.
To return an argument, accusation, censure or incivility; as, to retort the charge of vanity.
He pass'd through hostile scorn; and with retorted scorn, his back he turn'd.
3.
To bend or curve back; as a retorted line.

RETORT'

,
Verb.
I.
To return an argument or charge; to make a severe reply. He retorted upon his adversary with severity.

RETORT'

,
Noun.
1.
The return of an argument, charge or incivility in reply; as the retort courteous.
2.
In chimistry, a spherical vessel with its neck bent, to which the receiver is fitted; used in distillation.

Definition 2024

retort

retort

English

Noun

retort ‎(plural retorts)

  1. A sharp or witty reply, or one which turns an argument against its originator; a comeback.
Translations

Verb

retort ‎(third-person singular simple present retorts, present participle retorting, simple past and past participle retorted)

  1. To say something sharp or witty in answer to a remark or accusation.
    • 1905, Baroness Emmuska Orczy, chapter 1, in The Ayrsham Mystery:
      “It is a pity,” he retorted with aggravating meekness, “that they do not use a little common sense. The case resembles that of Columbus'  egg, and is every bit as simple. […]”
  2. To make a remark which reverses an argument upon its originator; to return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or incivility.
    to retort the charge of vanity
    • Milton
      And with retorted scorn his back he turned.
  3. To bend or curve back.
    a retorted line
    • Southey
      With retorted head, pruned themselves as they floated.
  4. To throw back; to reverberate; to reflect.
    • Shakespeare
      As when his virtues, shining upon others, / Heat them and they retort that heat again / To the first giver.
Synonyms
Translations

Etymology 2

From French retorte.

Retort for distillation

Noun

retort ‎(plural retorts)

  1. (chemistry) A flask with a rounded base and a long neck that is bent down and tapered, used to heat a liquid for distillation.
    • 1893, A large curved retort was boiling furiously in the bluish flame of a Bunsen burner, and the distilled drops were condensing into a two-litre measure. — Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘The Naval Treaty’ (Norton 2005, p.670)
  2. A container in which material is subjected to high temperatures as part of an industrial manufacturing process, especially during the smelting and forging of metal.
Translations

Verb

retort ‎(third-person singular simple present retorts, present participle retorting, simple past and past participle retorted)

  1. (transitive) To heat in a retort.

Anagrams

Etymology

From Latin retortus, from retorquere ‎(“to be forced to twist back”).

Pronunciation

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