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Retort vs Resort - What's the difference?

retort | resort |

As nouns the difference between retort and resort

is that retort is a sharp or witty reply, or one which turns an argument against its originator; a comeback while resort is a place where people go for recreation, especially one with facilities such as lodgings, entertainment, and a relaxing environment.

As verbs the difference between retort and resort

is that retort is to say something sharp or witty in answer to a remark or accusation while resort is to have recourse (to), now especially from necessity or frustration.

retort

English

(wikipedia retort)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) retortus, from .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A sharp or witty reply, or one which turns an argument against its originator; a comeback.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To say something sharp or witty in answer to a remark or accusation.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1905, author=
    • , title= , chapter=1 citation , passage=“It is a pity,” he retorted with aggravating meekness, “that they do not use a little common sense. The case resembles that of Columbus' ?egg, and is every bit as simple. […]”}}
  • To make a remark which reverses an argument upon its originator; to return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or incivility.
    • to retort the charge of vanity
  • * Milton
    • And with retorted scorn his back he turned.
  • To bend or curve back.
    • a retorted line
  • * Southey
    • With retorted head, pruned themselves as they floated.
  • To throw back; to reverberate; to reflect.
  • * Shakespeare
    • As when his virtues, shining upon others, / Heat them and they retort that heat again / To the first giver.
    Synonyms
    * (sharp reply) comeback, rejoinder, back answer

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) retorte.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (chemistry) A flask with a rounded base and a long neck that is bent down and tapered, used to heat a liquid for distillation.
  • :* 1893', A large curved ' retort was boiling furiously in the bluish flame of a Bunsen burner, and the distilled drops were condensing into a two-litre measure. — Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘The Naval Treaty’ (Norton 2005, p.670)
  • A container in which material is subjected to high temperatures]] as part of an industrial manufacturing process, especially during the smelting and [[forge, forging of metal.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To heat in a retort.

    • Anagrams

    * English reporting verbs

    resort

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A place where people go for recreation, especially one with facilities]] such as [[lodging, lodgings, entertainment, and a relaxing environment.
  • Recourse, refuge (something or someone turned to for safety).
    • to have resort to violence
  • * Shakespeare
    • Join with me to forbid him her resort .
  • (obsolete) A place where one goes habitually; a haunt.
  • * Milton
    • far from all resort of mirth

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To have recourse (to), now especially from necessity or frustration.
  • * Clarendon
    • The king thought it time to resort to other counsels.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
    • , author=Stephen Ledoux , title=Behaviorism at 100 , volume=100, issue=1, page=60 , magazine= citation , passage=Becoming more aware of the progress that scientists have made on behavioral fronts can reduce the risk that other natural scientists will resort to mystical agential accounts when they exceed the limits of their own disciplinary training.}}
  • To fall back; to revert.
  • * Sir M. Hale
    • The inheritance of the son never resorted to the mother, or to any of her ancestors.
  • To make one's way, go (to).
  • * 1526 , William Tyndale, trans. Bible , Matthew XIII:
    • The same daye went Jesus out off the housse, and sat by the seesyde, and moch people resorted unto him, so gretly that he went and sat in a shyppe, and all the people stode on the shoore.
    Derived terms
    * last resort

    Etymology 2

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to repeat a sorting process; sort again

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act of sorting again.
  • * 1991, Dr. Dobb's journal: software tools for the professional programmer , Volume 16:
    • "If further sorting is required, begin anew with opcode = 0. opcode = -3 may be set to build an index file following an initial sort with opcode set to 0, or a resort with opcode set to -1.

    Etymology 3

    (etyl) ressort.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Active power or movement; spring.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Some know the resorts and falls of business that cannot sink into the main of it.

    External links

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    Anagrams

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