- to reply to, usually in a sharp or retaliatory way; reply in kind to.
- to return (an accusation, epithet, etc.) upon the person uttering it.
- to answer (an argument or the like) by another to the contrary.
- a severe, incisive, or witty reply, especially one that counters a first speaker's statement, argument, etc.
- the act of retorting.
- Chemistry.
- a vessel, commonly a glass bulb with a long neck bent downward, used for distilling or decomposing substances by heat.
- a refractory chamber, generally cylindrically shaped, within which some substance, as ore or coal, is heated as part of a smelting or manufacturing process.
- 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.
- a sterilizer for food cans.
- to sterilize food after it is sealed in a container, by steam or other heating methods.
- to subject (shale, ore, etc.) to heat and possibly reduced pressure in order to produce fuel oil, metal, etc.
- to utter (something) quickly, sharply, wittily, or angrily, in response
- to use (an argument) against its originator; turn the tables by saying (something)
- a sharp, angry, or witty reply
- an argument used against its originator
- a glass vessel with a round bulb and long tapering neck that is bent down, used esp in a laboratory for distillation
- a vessel in which large quantities of material may be heated, esp one used for heating ores in the production of metals or heating coal to produce gas
- to heat in a retort
