retort

retort
retort1
—retorter, n.
/ri tawrt"/, v.t.
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.
n.
4. a severe, incisive, or witty reply, esp. one that counters a first speaker's statement, argument, etc.
5. the act of retorting.
[1590-1600; < L retortus (ptp. of retorquere to bend back), equiv. to re- RE- + torqu(ere) to twist, bend + -tus ptp. suffix, with -qut- > -t-]
Syn. 1. retaliate. 4. riposte, rejoinder, response. See answer.
retort2
/ri tawrt"/, n.
1. Chem.
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.
v.t.
3. to sterilize food after it is sealed in a container, by steam or other heating methods.
4. Chem. to subject (shale, ore, etc.) to heat and possibly reduced pressure in order to produce fuel oil, metal, etc.
[1550-60; < MF retorte < ML retorta, n. use of fem. of L retortus; see RETORT1]

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▪ chemistry and industry
      vessel used for distillation of substances that are placed inside and subjected to heat. The simple form of retort, used in some laboratories, is a glass or metal bulb having a long, curved spout through which the distillate may pass to enter a receiving vessel. The design dates back to the cucurbit (flask) used by medieval alchemists.

      Large retorts are widely used in industry in separating gold from mercury in amalgams, in separating zinc-metal vapour from the smelted ore mixture, and in obtaining coke or gas from coal. Industrial retorts may be tall and thin or short and wide; some are of clay and some of iron.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • retort n — retort v …   English expressions

  • Retort — Re*tort , n. [See {Retort}, v. t.] 1. The return of, or reply to, an argument, charge, censure, incivility, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or severe response. [1913 Webster] This is called the retort courteous. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. [F …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Retort — Re*tort , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Retorted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Retorting}.] [L. retortus, p. p. of retorquere; pref. re re + torquere to turn twist. See {Torsion}, and cf. {Retort}, n., 2.] 1. To bend or curve back; as, a retorted line. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • retort — Ⅰ. retort [1] ► VERB ▪ say something sharp or witty in answer to a remark or accusation. ► NOUN ▪ a sharp or witty reply. ORIGIN Latin retorquere twist back . Ⅱ. retort [2] …   English terms dictionary

  • retort — vb rejoin, reply, *answer, respond retort n rejoinder, answer, reply, response (see under ANSWER vb 1) Analogous words: *retaliation, reprisal, revenge: repartee (see WIT) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • retort — [n] snappy answer antiphon, back answer, back talk, comeback, cooler, counter, crack*, gag*, jape, jest, joke, lip*, parting shot*, quip, rejoinder, repartee, reply, reprisal, respond, response, retaliation, return, revenge, riposte, sally,… …   New thesaurus

  • Retort — Re*tort , v. i. To return an argument or a charge; to make a severe reply. Pope. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Retort — Retort. См. Реторта. (Источник: «Металлы и сплавы. Справочник.» Под редакцией Ю.П. Солнцева; НПО Профессионал , НПО Мир и семья ; Санкт Петербург, 2003 г.) …   Словарь металлургических терминов

  • retort — I verb answer, answer back, come back, counter, countercharge, counterclaim, make a rebuttal, parry, rebut, rejoin, replicate, reply, requite, respond, respondere, return, riposte, say in reply, snap back, surrebut, surrejoin II index answer… …   Law dictionary

  • retort — (v.) 1550s, from L. retortus, pp. of retorquere turn back, from re back (see RE (Cf. re )) + torquere to twist (see THWART (Cf. thwart)). The noun is c.1600, from the verb …   Etymology dictionary

  • retort — retort1 [ri tôrt′] vt. [< L retortus, pp. of retorquere, to twist back < re , back + torquere, to twist: see TORT] 1. to turn (an insult, epithet, deed, etc.) back upon the person from whom it came 2. to answer (an argument, etc.) in kind 3 …   English World dictionary

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