Dictionary

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

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

To make a remark which reverses an argument upon its originator; to return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or incivility.

Example: to retort the charge of vanity

To bend or curve back.

Example: a retorted line

To throw back; to reverberate; to reflect.

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

A airtight vessel in which material is subjected to high temperatures in the chemical industry or as part of an industrial manufacturing process, especially during the smelting and forging of metal.

A pressure cooker

To heat in a retort.