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'Nothing clever to say?'

DEFINITION: n. A clever remark, especially a "comeback line" to an insult, which does not come to mind until it is too late to be delivered; often leads to the gnashing of teeth. v. To think of something clever after it's too late.

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Retorture

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: ree tort chur

Sentence: Drew always became tongue-tied after the tart-tongued Ramona passed him by at school and made one of her blistering comments to him. It was only after she departed that he would think of something clever in return. This retorture replayed like a video in his head all night. He was so busy trying to be the witty racontuer that he failed to realize that she only did this to get his attention because she liked him.

Etymology: Retort (a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)& Torture (torment emotionally or mentally;the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean)

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Retrozinger

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: REH-tro-zyng-ir

Sentence: Several minutes after being Zapped with a major insult by Miriam, Leonard thought of a great comeback and wished he could go back and whack her with a retrozinger, convinced he would then be a 'winner'.

Etymology: Blend of 'retro' (prefix meaning 'backward : back') and 'zinger' (n. something causing or meant to cause interest, surprise, or shock)

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Hatelooks

Created by: josje

Pronunciation: hate looks

Sentence: i cant answere you but i can give you my hate looks.

Etymology: hate and looks.

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Tortard

zrotv

Created by: zrotv

Pronunciation: tōr'tärd

Sentence: Her insult was witty and cutting. I dug deep in my repertoire for an equally eloquent response, not wanting to defer to simple comments about her mother. Finally it came and I released it to the now distant and distancing back of her head. My lack of haste had resulted in the ever embarrassing tortardation. My weak totard fizzled on absent ears. Why, oh why, was I doomed to tortardation?! (slang, pejorative, adj.: retortarded)

Etymology: retort (To reply, especially to answer in a quick, caustic, or witty manner) + retard / tard (To be delayed. Latin retardāre : re- + tardāre, to delay (from tardus, slow))

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Repartardy

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: re-par-tar-dy

Sentence: Mike could only deliver brilliant repartardy to his mirror long after his guests had gone. He longed to be quick and witty; however, he was tongue-tied while he was being verbally filleted by his friends' good natured bantering. As the Japanese proverb says: "He had many knives -- none of them sharp."

Etymology: repartee: swift, witty reply; a conversation marked with the exchange of witty retorts + tardy: arrive or occur after the expected time

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COMMENTS:

:) - galwaywegian, 2009-10-20: 12:47:00

Cutting and pointed! - Nosila, 2009-10-21: 01:25:00

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Duedefence

Created by: fantomex

Pronunciation: dew-deff-enss

Sentence: It was when I came up with an obvious duedefence that I realized how stupid I am in arguments.

Etymology: due - overdue // defence - defence or defend

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Tardytort

Created by: PythianHabenero

Pronunciation: tar-dee-tort

Sentence: A half hour after being wittily insulted, Andrew came up with the best tardytort he'd ever heard.

Etymology: "tardy" as in late and "retort" as in comeback.

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Retart

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: re tart

Sentence: When the Drag Queen sauntered past Drew and asked him what he was looking at, he was dumbstruck. Of course, once he/she was long gone, his retart finally kicked in and he said, "You've got big hands!". He Drew his own conclusions...

Etymology: Retard ( be delayed;slow to develop)& Retort (a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

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COMMENTS:

Kind of demeaning to use the R-word. - Koekbroer, 2012-08-02: 00:03:00

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Numback

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: nəmbak

Sentence: She cut him to the quick with her biting remark. All he had was a numback. Like the line from the Three Stooges, ”I’m trying to think but nothing happens”, He’s trying to speak but nothing happens.

Etymology: numb (deprive of feeling or responsiveness) + comeback (a quick reply to a critical remark)

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Unaquipvent

Created by: suzanne

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-03: 00:01:00
Today's definition was suggested by mplsbohemian.
Thank you mplsbohemian! ~ James

mplsbohemian - 2007-04-03: 11:13:00
Thanks for using the definition! I specifically chose it because the French expression for this is notoriously difficult to succinctly translate into English. Perhaps you guys can help! Peace Clint

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-03: 11:45:00
Ah oui, "l'ésprit de l'escalier"... Merci pour la suggestion, mplsbohemian ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-10-20: 03:48:00
Today's definition was suggested by mplsbohemian. Thank you mplsbohemian. ~ James