Word of the Day: Retort

re-tort / rəˈtôrt

verb

1. to reply sharply or in kind

A bird in the hand was worth two in the bush, he told her, to which she retorted that a proverb was the last refuge of the mentally destitute.

From ‘The Painted Veil’ by W. Somerset Maugham, 1874-1965

2. to return or hurl back

Someone described Providence as the baptismal name of chance; no doubt some pious person will retort that chance is the nickname of Providence.

Nicolas Chamfort, 1741-1794

3. to answer via counter argument

The driver retorted that since there could be no material difference between a train that arrived at a station and a station that arrived at a train, it was equally the stationmaster’s fault.

From ‘Shades of Grey’ by Jasper Fforde, 1961-

noun

1. a curt or witty reply

Every time we hold our tongues instead of returning the sharp retort, show patience with another’s faults, show a little more love and kindness, we are helping to stock-pile more of these peace-bringing qualities in the world instead of armaments for war.

Connie Foster, 1955-