retort

verb

/rɪˈtɔːt/

/rɪˈtɔːrt/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they retort	/rɪˈtɔːt/ /rɪˈtɔːrt/
he / she / it retorts	/rɪˈtɔːts/ /rɪˈtɔːrts/
past simple retorted	/rɪˈtɔːtɪd/ /rɪˈtɔːrtɪd/
past participle retorted	/rɪˈtɔːtɪd/ /rɪˈtɔːrtɪd/
-ing form retorting	/rɪˈtɔːtɪŋ/ /rɪˈtɔːrtɪŋ/

jump to other results

to reply quickly to a comment, in an angry, offended or humorous way
- + speech ‘Don't be ridiculous!’ Pat retorted angrily.
- She quickly retorted, ‘What does it matter?’
- retort that… Sam retorted that it was my fault as much as his.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- quickly
- angrily
- furiously
- …
See full entry
Word Originverb late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘hurl back an accusation or insult’): from Latin retort- ‘twisted back, cast back’, from the verb retorquere, from re- ‘in return’ + torquere ‘to twist’.

retort

noun

/rɪˈtɔːt/

/rɪˈtɔːrt/

jump to other results

a quick, angry or humorous reply synonym rejoinder, riposte
- She bit back (= stopped herself from making) a sharp retort.
Extra Examples
- He opened his mouth to make a caustic retort.
- He was stung into an angry retort.
- Her remark drew angry retorts from the unemployed workers.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- quick
- sharp
- clever
- …
verb + retort
- come up with
- make
- bite back
- …
See full entry
enlarge image
a closed bottle with a long narrow bent spout that is used in a laboratory for heating chemicals

Word Originnoun sense 1 late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘hurl back an accusation or insult’): from Latin retort- ‘twisted back, cast back’, from the verb retorquere, from re- ‘in return’ + torquere ‘to twist’. noun sense 2 early 17th cent.: from French retorte, from medieval Latin retorta, feminine past participle of retorquere ‘twist back’ (with reference to the long recurved neck of the laboratory container).