Retort, rē-tort′, v.t. to throw back: to return: to retaliate: to separate by means of a retort.—v.i. to make a sharp reply.—n. a ready and sharp reply: a witty answer: a vessel used in distillation, properly a spiral tube.—p.adj. Retor′ted (her.), interlaced.—ns. Retor′ter; Retor′tion.—adj. Retor′tive.—n. Retort′-seal′er, an instrument for removing the encrustation in coal-gas retorts. [Fr.,—L. retortum, pa.p. of retorquēre—re-, back, torquēre, to twist.]
Retoss, rē-tos′, v.t. to toss back.
Retouch, rē-tuch′, v.t. to improve, as a picture, by new touches.—n. the reapplication of the artist's hand to a work: (phot.) the act of finishing and correcting.—ns. Retouch′er; Retouch′ment.—Retouching frame, a desk formed of fine ground glass, used for retouching negatives.
Retour, rē-tōōr′, n. a returning: (Scots law) an extract from chancery of the service of an heir to his ancestor.—adj. Retoured′.
Retourn, rē-turn′, v.t. (Spens.) to turn back.
Retrace, rē-trās′, v.t. to trace back: to go back by the same course: to renew the outline of: to repeat.—adj. Retrace′able.
Retract, rē-trakt′, v.t. to retrace or draw back: to recall: to recant.—v.i. to take back what has been said or granted.—adjs. Retrac′table, Retrac′tible, capable of being retracted or recalled.—n. Retractā′tion.—p.adj. Retrac′ted (her.), couped by a line diagonal to the main direction: (bot.) bent back.—adj. Retrac′tile, that may be drawn back, as claws.—n. Retrac′tion, act of retracting or drawing back: recantation.—adj. Retrac′tive, able or ready to retract.—adv. Retrac′tively.—n. Retrac′tor, one who, or that which, retracts or draws back: in breech-loading firearms, a device for withdrawing a cartridge-shell from the barrel: (surg.) an instrument for holding apart the edges of a wound during operation: a bandage to protect the soft parts from injury by the saw: (zool.) a muscle serving to draw in any part. [Fr.,—L. retrahĕre, retractum—re-, back, trahĕre, to draw.]
Retrad, rē′trad, adv. (anat.) backward.
Retrahens, rē′trā-henz, n. (anat.) a muscle which draws the ear backward.—adj. Rē′trāhent.
Retrait, rē-trāt′, n. (Spens.) a picture, a portrait: aspect.—adj. retired. [O. Fr.,—retraire, to draw back, to take a portrait—L. retrahĕre—re-, back, trahĕre, to draw.]