Retorsions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A form of retaliation or counteraction often taken in response to another's actions
2. the act of turning something back on its source or origin
3. a strategical maneuver that involves reversing a previous action or decision

Etymology: "Retorsions" is the plural of "retorsion," a noun meaning the act of turning something back on its source or origin. The singular form is the one to trace, and its history runs through the Latin verb "retorquere," meaning to twist back or turn back, built from "re-" (back) and "torquere" (to twist). From that twisting image comes the sense of returning an action or argument against the one who launched it.