noun
definition
A sharp or witty reply, or one which turns an argument against its originator; a comeback.
verb
definition
To say something sharp or witty in answer to a remark or accusation.
definition
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
definition
To bend or curve back.
example
a retorted line
definition
To throw back; to reverberate; to reflect.
Examples of retort in a Sentence
She tried to think of a retort, but couldn't.
She opened her mouth to retort but stopped.
The retorts are charged with molten sulphur from an upper reservoir, which is kept at the requisite temperature by means of the lost heat of the retort fires.
The only excuse made for the alternate cringing and insult, the alternate abuse and lying, which marked his course in this matter, has been the very weak plea that a man cannot fight with a system - a plea which is sufficiently answered by the retort that a great many men have so fought and have won.
Sofia bit back a retort and forced herself to her feet.
Jenn bit back a retort and left, unable to shake the sense he'd told her something he didn't mean for her to know.
The retort may be replaced by a distilling flask, which is a round-bottomed flask (generally with a lengthened neck) provided with an inclined side tube.
These have now to pass down the heated retort on their way to the ascension pipe, and the contact with the heated sides of the retort, and the baking from the radiant heat in the retort, set up an infinity of changes.
The retort is pear-shaped, and holds1000-1500lb of charge, consisting of liquated crust mixed with 1-3% of charcoal.
Each retort is provided with two adapters, namely, a conical pipe of fire-clay, about 15 in.
The neck of the retort, or side tube of the flask, is connected to the condenser c by an ordinary or rubber cork, according to the nature of the substance distilled; ordinary corks soaked in paraffin wax are very effective when ordinary or rubber corks cannot be used.
The effect produced by alteration in the temperature of the retort upon the composition of both gas and tar is very marked.
The substance is heated in a retort a, which consists of a large bulb drawn out at the top to form a long neck; it may also FIG.
Brady chewed back a retort about how this particular army-type had been battling insurgents to reach them on the Peak.
In practice the theoretical quantity of acid and Chile saltpetre is not used, but the charge is so regulated that the mixture of acid and neutral sodium sulphate formed in the retort remains liquid at the temperature employed, and consequently can be readily removed.
The gas developed by the coal near the mouth of the retort is quickly washed out into the ascension pipe by the push of the gas behind, and the period for which it has been exposed to the radiant heat from the walls of the retort is practically nil; whilst the gas evolved in the portion of the retort farthest from the mouthpiece has only its own rate of evolution to drive it forward, and has to traverse the longest run possible in tile retort, exposed during the whole of that period to radiant heat and to contact with the highly heated surface of the retort itself.
In such a case, the best retort was to return in all haste in order to put more energy into the huge centralized organism which the emperor alone could work.
Stannic Chloride, SnC1 4, named by Andreas Libavius in 1605 Spiritus argenti vivi sublimate from its preparation by distilling tin or its amalgam with corrosive sublimate, and afterwards termed Spiritus fumans Libavii, is obtained by passing dry chlorine over granulated tin contained in a retort; the tetrachloride distils over as a heavy liquid, from which the excess of chlorine is easily removed by shaking with a small quantity of tin filings and re-distilling.
The thermometer is placed so that the bulb is near the neck of the retort or the side tube of the distilling flask.
Before it can be cupelled it has to be freed from most of the zinc, which is accomplished by distilling in a retort made of a mixture similar to that of the plumbago crucible.
Between the two middle toes, in most species, is lodged a deep glandular bag having the form of a retort with a small external orifice, which secretes an unctuous and odorous substance.
The life of this retort is about thirty working months.
In racking his brains for a suitably crushing retort, he will probably forget what he is doing.
The most favourable retort is a shallow iron pan heated in a sand bath, and provided with a screwed-down lid bearing the delivery tube.
A cast iron mouthpiece and lid is bolted to the exterior end of each retort, the mouthpiece carrying a socket end to receive the ascension pipe, through which the gas passes on leaving the retort.
If, how ever, it be argued by libertarians that no explanation is possible of the manner in which the self or the will makes its decisions and inclines to this motive or to that, while they still assert the independent existence of the self or will, then they are undoubtedly open to the retort of their opponents that upon such a theory no rational explanation of conduct will be possible.
By this method of distillation the arsenic sublimes into the receiver, leaving a residue of iron sulphide in the retort.
What can be a witty retort can be hurtful.
The winner of this year's competition is a sharp retort to the question Do we need nature?
When hydraulic pressure to the amount of 2000 to 3000 lb per square inch is applied, the saving is unquestioned, since less time is required to dry the pressed retort, its life in the furnaces is longer, its absorption of zinc is less, and the loss of zinc by passage through its walls in the form of vapour is reduced.
This retort was President Kruger's rallying cry whenever he found himself in the least degree pressed, either from within or without the state.
The rest of the apparatus (settler, retort, crucible, furnace) is the same as with the Washoe process.
Of the first class, the light paraffin oils and pitch may be taken as examples; whilst benzene, naphthalene and retort carbon represent the second.
From this it will be seen that, with the increase of temperature, the hydrocarbons - the olefines and marsh gas series - gradually break up, depositing carbon in the crown of the retort, and liberating hydrogen, the percentage of which steadily increases with the rise of temperature.
The hot producer-gas formed in V is passed round the retort E in the flues n 2 n2, and ultimately goes away through K to the furnace FIG.
The tri-iodide, AsI3 prepared by subliming arsenic and iodine together in a retort, by leading arsine into an alcoholic iodine solution, or by boiling powdered arsenic and iodine with water, filtering and evaporating, forms brick-red hexagonal tables, of specific gravity 4.39, soluble in alcohol, ether and benzene, and in a large excess of water; in the presence of a small quantity of water, it is decomposed with formation of hydriodic acid and an insoluble basic salt of the composition 4AsOI.
Don't ask Allah's Apostle too many things, and do n't retort upon him in any case, and do n't desert him.
Well aware of Hannah.s social ladder climbing aspirations, Katie couldn.t help her retort.
When the rock has been separated from the amalgam by a washing operation, the quicksilver is recovered by distillation in an iron retort, and the remaining crude retortsilver melted into bars and shipped to a refinery, which removes the impurities, the leading one of which is copper.
They may be divided into - (a) Solids, such as the coke and retort carbon; (b) liquids, consisting of the tar and ammoniacal liquor; and (c) gases, consisting of the unpurified `coal gas.
The shoot is placed in the upper mouthpiece, and the stop or door, which retains the coal in the chamber, is released; the coal is then discharged into the retort, and rushing down the incline, is arrested by the barrier, and banks up, forming a continuous backing to the coal following.
By experience with the class of coal used and the adjustment of the stops in the shoot, the charge can be run into the retort to form an even layer of any desired depth.
He has what looks like a rusty old dustbin, the lid being replaced by a copper retort.
It was at Taunton that Disraeli fell upon O'Connell, rather ungratefully; whereupon the Liberator was roused to retort on his assailant vehemently as "a liar," and humorously as a probable descendant of the impenitent thief.
Metallurgical furnaces of the first class are termed crucible, muffle or retort furnaces, and of the second shaft and reverberatory furnaces.
He barely recognized his cold voice as the retort forced its way out.
Arrogant son of a bitch, Dean thought, but he didn't waste time on a retort.
Very dry and well written humor that you can easily relate to, ' comes the retort in another.
One obvious retort is a steady diet of hard drugs.
Does A answer B's veiled insult with an angry retort or a gracious change of subject?