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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RETORTION

n.The act of retorting.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

RETORTION

Re *tor "tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. rétorsion. See Retort, v. t.]

1. Act of retorting or throwing back; reflection or turning back. [Written also retorsion. ] It was, however, necessary to possess some single term expressive of this intellectual retortion. Sir W. Hamilton.

2. (Law )

Defn: Retaliation. Wharton.

New American Oxford Dictionary

retortion

re |tor ¦tion |rɪˈtɔːʃ (ə )n | ▶noun [ mass noun ] (in international law ) retaliation by a state on another's subjects. ORIGIN late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘bending or turning backwards ’): from retort 1, perhaps on the pattern of contortion .

Oxford Dictionary

retortion

re |tor ¦tion |rɪˈtɔːʃ (ə )n | ▶noun [ mass noun ] (in international law ) retaliation by a state on another's subjects. ORIGIN late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘bending or turning backwards ’): from retort 1, perhaps on the pattern of contortion .