- retch
- The action of the stomach and esophagus to try to vomit (eject some or all of the contents of the stomach). Retching that does not cause vomiting is called dry heaves.
English dictionary of cancer terms . 2015.
retch
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Retch — (r[e^]ch or r[=e]ch; 277), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Retched} (r[e^]cht); p. pr. & vb. n. {Retching}.] [AS. hr[ae]can to clear the throat, hawk, fr. hraca throat; akin to G. rachen, and perhaps to E. rack neck.] To make an effort to vomit; to strain,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Retch — Retch, v. t. & i. [See {Reck}.] To care for; to heed; to reck. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
retch — [retʃ] v [I] [: Old English; Origin: hrAcan] to try to ↑vomit = ↑gag ▪ The smell made her retch … Dictionary of contemporary English
retch — [ retʃ ] verb intransitive to behave and sound as if you are being sick (=bringing food and drink up from your stomach and out through your mouth), without in fact doing this: The disgusting smell made me retch … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
retch — (v.) 1540s, originally to clear the throat, to cough up phlegm, from O.E. hræcan to cough up, spit (related to hraca phlegm ), from P.Gmc. *khrækijanan (Cf. O.H.G. rahhison to clear one s throat ), of imitative origin (Cf. Lith. kregeti to grunt… … Etymology dictionary
retch — ► VERB ▪ make the sound and movement of vomiting. ► NOUN ▪ an instance of retching. ORIGIN from a Germanic word meaning «spittle» … English terms dictionary
retch — [rech] vi. [ME * rechen < OE hræcan, to clear the throat, hawk < hraca, clearing of the throat, spittle < IE echoic base * ker > RING1, RAVEN1] to undergo the straining action of vomiting, esp. without bringing anything up … English World dictionary
retch — UK [retʃ] / US verb [intransitive] Word forms retch : present tense I/you/we/they retch he/she/it retches present participle retching past tense retched past participle retched to behave and sound as if you are being sick (= bringing food and… … English dictionary
retch — verb Etymology: Middle English *rechen to spit, retch, from Old English hrǣcan to spit, hawk; akin to Old Norse hrækja to spit Date: circa 1798 transitive verb vomit 1 intransitive verb to make an effort to vomit; also vomit • retch noun … New Collegiate Dictionary
retch — To make an involuntary effort to vomit. [A.S. hraecan, to hawk] * * * retch rech, esp Brit rēch vi to make an effort to vomit vt VOMIT retch n * * * (rech) to try to … Medical dictionary
retch — [[t]re̱tʃ[/t]] retches, retching, retched VERB If you retch, your stomach moves as if you are vomiting. The smell made me retch. Syn: heave … English dictionary
