re·tort¹ / riˈtôrt/ • v. 1. say something in answer to a remark or accusation, typically in a sharp, angry, or wittily incisive manner: [with direct speech] “No need to be rude,” retorted Isabel | he retorted that this was nonsense | [intr.] I resisted the urge to retort. 2. [tr.] archaic repay (an insult or injury): it was now his time to retort the humiliation. ∎  turn (an insult or accusation) back on the person who has issued it: he was resolute to retort the charge of treason on his foes. ∎  use (an opponent's argument) against them: the answer they make to us may very easily be retorted.• n. a sharp, angry, or wittily incisive reply to a remark: she opened her mouth to make a suitably cutting retort.re·tort² • n. 1. a container or furnace for carrying out a chemical process on a large or industrial scale.2. hist. a glass container with a long neck, used in distilling liquids and other chemical operations.• v. [tr.] heat in a retort in order to separate or purify: the raw shale is retorted at four crude oil works.

retort1 repay, requite; cast back (a charge, etc.) XVI; reply in kind to XVII. f. retort-, pp. stem of L. retorquēre, f. RE- + torquēre twist.
Hence sb. XVI.

retort2 vessel with a long neck used for distillation. XVII. — F. retorte — medL. retorta, sb. use of fem. pp. of L. retorquēre (see prec.).

retort In food technology, an autoclave.