noun. The act of retorting; the repelling of an argument, accusation, or incivility; hence, that which is retorted; a retaliatory act or remark; especially, a sharp or witty rejoinder; a repartee.

noun. Synonyms See repartee.

noun. In chem. and the arts, a vessel of glass, earthenware, metal, etc., employed for the purpose of distilling or effecting decomposition by the aid of heat.

In metallurgy, to separate by means of a retort, as gold from an amalgam.

To twist back; bend back by twisting or curving; turn back.

To throw back; specifically, to reflect.

To cast back; reject; refuse to accept or grant.

To return; turn back or repel, as an argument, accusation, manner of treatment, etc., upon the originator; retaliate: rarely applied to the return of kindness or civility.

To reply resentfully.

To curve, twist, or coil back.

To retaliate; turn back an argument, accusation, or manner of treatment upon the originator; especially, to make a resentful reply; respond in a spirit of retaliation.

To return.

intransitive verb. To return an argument or a charge; to make a severe reply.

transitive verb. To bend or curve back.

transitive verb. To throw back; to reverberate; to reflect.

transitive verb. To return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or incivility.

noun. The return of, or reply to, an argument, charge, censure, incivility, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or severe response.

noun. 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.

noun. a retort having a tubulure for the introduction or removal of the substances which are to be acted upon.

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

noun. A flask with a rounded base and a long neck that is bent down and tapered, used to heat a liquid for distillation.

noun. 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.

verb. To say something sharp or witty in answer to a remark or accusation.

verb. To make a remark which reverses an argument upon its originator.

verb. To heat in a retort.

noun. a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

verb. answer back

noun. a vessel where substances are distilled or decomposed by heat

"Mr. Greg begins with what he calls a retort courteous."

answer  reply  respond  

chuckle  defiance  epigram  exclamation  grimace  

acknowledge  acknowledgment  aerosol  alembic  answer  

retorted  retorting  retorts