re-tort / rəˈtôrt
verb 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 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 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 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-