retort
retort Lexical Profile
retort Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A sharp, angry, or witty reply, especially one that turns the original speaker's words back upon them.
"She bit back a sharp retort and calmly answered the panel's questions."
A spherical laboratory vessel with a long, downward-pointing neck used for distilling or decomposing substances by heat, or an industrial furnace chamber used for heating materials or sterilizing canned food.
"The chemist heated the compound in a glass retort to collect the condensed vapor."
• verb
To say something in answer to a remark or accusation, typically in a sharp, angry, or witty manner.
""That is entirely beside the point," he retorted during the debate."
To repay or turn an insult, accusation, or argument back upon the person who originated it.
"The defense attorney was quick to retort the accusation of negligence upon the plaintiff."
To heat, distill, or process a substance or sealed food container in a laboratory or industrial retort.
"The oil shale is retorted at high temperatures to extract liquid hydrocarbons."
• Rhymes for retort
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 16th century from Latin retortus, the past participle of retorquere ('to twist back' or 'to hurl back'), formed from re- ('back') and torquere ('to twist'). The sense of a chemical vessel comes from Middle French retorte, referring to the twisted or bent neck of the glass bulb.