retortern.1
/rᵻˈtɔːtə/, U.S. /rəˈtɔrdər/, /riˈtɔrdər/ A person who retorts (in various senses of retort v.1).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > blame > [noun] > one who casts back an accusation
retorter1598
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Torcitore, a retorter, a twister, a wrester, a bender.
1660 J. Gauden Μεγαλεια Θεου 10 No men are more..imperious retorters upon God and man, than those who are most defective in their duties to both.
1719 H. Eelbeck in tr. Persius Six Satyrs iv. 48 (note) Persius interposeth his own Opinion between the Retorter and the Reproacher.
1799 Fair Play is Jewel v. 31 How easily and readily, the ‘courteous Retorter’ could himself manage the weapons of Ridicule and Verse!
1875 Littell's Living Age 28 Aug. 568/2 The practised retorter, like the good batsman, must have a bowler, to whom he can send back the flying ball.
1904 E. R. Scidmore Winter India v. 71 In the middle of the darkness came..an angry colloquy by the bankside, David and Daniel together venting their strongest language at invisible retorters.
2004 S. Pizzigati Greed & Good Introd. p. xxvii Greed may be ugly, the retorters will argue, but the craving to become rich motors our civilization, all civilization.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
retortern.2
/rᵻˈtɔːtə/, U.S. /rəˈtɔrdər/, /riˈtɔrdər/ Mining and Manufacturing Technology.
A person or company engaged in the retorting of metal, shale, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > workers with specific materials > metalworker > [noun] > involved in other general processes
whitesmith1260
blancher1578
filer1598
bluer1747
striker1831
tarnisher1864
retorter1876
swager?1881
1876 A. P. Swineford Hist. & Rev. Mineral Resources Lake Superior 259 (table) Labor..One retorter and smelter [$] 3 00.
1914 Trans. Amer. Electrochem. Soc. 25 178 I will acquiesce when the term zinc smelting be abolished and all of our zinc smelters become ‘zinc retorters’.
1977 Science 9 Dec. 1026/2 Paraho is the most optimistic of the surface retorters, arguing that oil could be produced for as little as $11.50 per barrel.
1997 Energy User News (Nexis) 1 Apr. 30 Philips Lighting..buys recycled materials as a matter of company policy and uses mercury from one of the retorters.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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