retort
pronunciation
How to pronounce retort in British English:
UK [rɪˈtɔːt]
How to pronounce retort in American English:
US [rɪˈtɔːrt]
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- Noun:
- a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
- a vessel where substances are distilled or decomposed by heat
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- Verb:
- answer back
Word Origin
- retort
- retort: see torment
- retort (v.)
- 1550s, "make return in kind" (especially of an injury), from Old French retort and directly from Latin retortus, past participle of retorquere "turn back, twist back, throw back," from re- "back" (see re-) + torquere "to twist" (see torque (n.)). Applied to exchanges of jest or sarcasm by c. 1600, hence "say or utter sharply and aggressively in reply" (1620s). Related: Retorted; retorting.
- retort (n.1)
- "act of retorting," c. 1600, from retort (v.).
- retort (n.2)
- "vessel used in chemistry for distilling or effecting decomposition by the aid of heat," c. 1600, from Middle French retorte, from Medieval Latin *retorta "a retort, a vessel with a bent neck," literally "a thing bent or twisted," from past participle stem of Latin retorquere (see retort (v.)).
Example
- 1. Some now retort : not good enough for what ?
- 2. Nonsense , retort the fiscal hawks .
- 3. Ministers retort that they continue to liberalise .
- 4. Democrats retort that mr obama can be tough when necessary .
- 5. Mr erdogan 's critics retort that he is himself to blame .