RETCH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does retch mean? 

• RETCH (noun)
  The noun RETCH has 1 sense:

1. an involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting

  Familiarity information: RETCH used as a noun is very rare.

• RETCH (verb)
  The verb RETCH has 2 senses:

1. eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth

2. make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit

  Familiarity information: RETCH used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RETCH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

heave; retch

Context example:

a bad case of the heaves

Hypernyms ("retch" is a kind of...):

spasm ((pathology) sudden constriction of a hollow organ (as a blood vessel))

Derivation:

retch (eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth)

retch (make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit)

• RETCH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they retch    ... he / she / it retches   
Past simple: retched   
Past participle: retched   
-ing form: retching   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

barf; be sick; cast; cat; chuck; disgorge; honk; puke; purge; regorge; regurgitate; retch; sick; spew; spue; throw up; upchuck; vomit; vomit up

Context example:

The patient regurgitated the food we gave him last night

Hypernyms (to "retch" is one way to...):

egest; eliminate; excrete; pass (eliminate from the body)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

retch (an involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

gag; heave; retch

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

retch (an involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting)

 Context examples 

A self-administered questionnaire designed to measure the short-term impact of nausea, emesis, and retching on patients receiving emetogenic chemotherapy.

(Osoba Nausea and Emesis Module, NCI Thesaurus)

Spontaneous rupture of the back of the throat is rare, and usually caused by trauma, or sometimes by vomiting, retching or heavy coughing, so the 34 year old's symptoms initially surprised the emergency care doctors.

(Blocking A Sneeze, Man Ruptures Throat, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Less common causes include injuries from penetrating or blunt trauma or injury to the esophagus during an operation on another organ, mechanical problem such as violent retching or vomiting; ingestion of a foreign body or caustic agents.

(Esophageal Perforation, NCI Thesaurus)