Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Nearby Entries
retorts - 5 dictionary results
Pet Food Facility Auction
July 28 • Los Angeles & Online Processing, packaging & stainless
www.rabin.com
Cremation Systems
Easy and efficient operation Ready-to-go systems available
www.cremsys.com
Retorts at Amazon
Save on Retorts Free 2-Day Shipping w/ Amazon Prime
www.Amazon.com/Books

re⋅tort

1  [ri-tawrt]
Use retorts in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to reply to, usually in a sharp or retaliatory way; reply in kind to.
2. to return (an accusation, epithet, etc.) upon the person uttering it.
3. to answer (an argument or the like) by another to the contrary.
–noun
4. a severe, incisive, or witty reply, esp. one that counters a first speaker's statement, argument, etc.
5. the act of retorting.
Origin:
1590–1600; < L retortus (ptp. of retorquēre to bend back), equiv. to re- re- + torqu(ēre) to twist, bend + -tus ptp. suffix, with -qut- > -t-

Related forms:
re⋅tort⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. retaliate. 4. riposte, rejoinder, response. See answer.
Pet Food Facility Auction
July 28 • Los Angeles & Online Processing, packaging & stainless
www.rabin.com

re⋅tort

2  [ri-tawrt]
–noun
1. Chemistry.
a. a vessel, commonly a glass bulb with a long neck bent downward, used for distilling or decomposing substances by heat.
b. a refractory chamber, generally cylindrically shaped, within which some substance, as ore or coal, is heated as part of a smelting or manufacturing process.
c. an airtight, usually cylindrical vessel of fire clay or iron, used in the destructive distillation chiefly of coal and wood in the manufacture of illuminating gas.
2. a sterilizer for food cans.
–verb (used with object)
3. to sterilize food after it is sealed in a container, by steam or other heating methods.
4. Chemistry. to subject (shale, ore, etc.) to heat and possibly reduced pressure in order to produce fuel oil, metal, etc.
Origin:
1550–60; < MF retorte < ML retorta, n. use of fem. of L retortus; see retort 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To retorts
re·tort 1   (rĭ-tôrt')   
v.   re·tort·ed, re·tort·ing, re·torts

v.   tr.
    1. To reply, especially to answer in a quick, caustic, or witty manner. See Synonyms at answer.
    2. To present a counterargument to.
  2. To return in kind; pay back.
v.   intr.
  1. To make a reply, especially a quick, caustic, or witty one.
  2. To present a counterargument.
  3. To return like for like; retaliate.
n.  
  1. A quick incisive reply, especially one that turns the first speaker's words to his or her own disadvantage.
  2. The act or an instance of retorting.

[Latin retorquēre, retort-, to bend back, retort : re-, re- + torquēre, to bend, twist; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
re·tort'er n.
re·tort 2   (rĭ-tôrt', rē'tôrt')   
n.  A closed laboratory vessel with an outlet tube, used for distillation, sublimation, or decomposition by heat.

[French retorte, from Medieval Latin retorta, from feminine of Latin retortus, past participle of retorquēre, to bend back; see retort1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
retort   (rĭ-tôrt', rē'-)  Pronunciation Key 
A glass laboratory vessel in the shape of a bulb with a long, downward-pointing outlet tube. It is used for distillation or decomposition by heat.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see retorts on Thesaurus | Reference
Cremation Systems
Easy and efficient operation Ready-to-go systems available
www.cremsys.com
Retorts at Amazon
Save on Retorts Free 2-Day Shipping w/ Amazon Prime
www.Amazon.com/Books
Dictionary.com Free Toolbar
Define Retorts Instantly. Faster Page Loads With Fewer Ads.
Dictionary.com