1550s, "make return in kind" (especially of an injury), from Old French retort and directly from Latin retortus, past participle of retorquere "turn back, twist back, throw back," from re- "back" (see re-) + torquere "to twist" (see torque (n.)). Applied to exchanges of jest or sarcasm by c. 1600, hence "say or utter sharply and aggressively in reply" (1620s). Related: Retorted; retorting.
retort (n.1)
"act of retorting," c. 1600, from retort (v.).
retort (n.2)
"vessel used in chemistry for distilling or effecting decomposition by the aid of heat," c. 1600, from Middle French retorte, from Medieval Latin *retorta "a retort, a vessel with a bent neck," literally "a thing bent or twisted," from past participle stem of Latin retorquere (see retort (v.)).
双语例句
1. His sharp retort clearly made an impact.
他尖刻的反驳显然起了作用。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Her retort was mechanical.
她的反驳是脱口而出的。
来自柯林斯例句
3. He scored a bull's - eye in their argument with that witty retort.