One day Holmes and Watson are flying a dirigible balloon. It is foggy around, they have lost their way. Suddenly they see - a shepherd is grazing sheep below. The men are very glad and shout:
- The dear, tell us, please, where we are now?
- You are in the dirigible balloon.
- I understand... - Holmes says. - We are flying over Russia.
- But why? - Watson is surprised.
- It’s elementary, Buddy! Only a programmer could give such an exact and useless answer at the same time. And only in Russia programmers can look after sheep.
v. (past and past part. Retold) tell again or differently.
RETINA
n. (pl. -s or -nae) layer at the back of the eyeball sensitive to light. retinal adj. [latin rete net]
RETIRE
v. (-ring) 1 a leave office or employment, esp. Because of age. B cause (a person) to retire from work.
- withdraw, go away, retreat.
- seek seclusion or shelter.
- go to bed.
- withdraw (troops).
- cricket (of a batsman) voluntarily end or be compelled to suspend one's innings. retire into oneself become uncommunicative or unsociable. [french tirer draw]
RETOLD
past and past part. Of *retell.
RETOOK
past of *retake.
RETORT
—n. Incisive, witty, or angry reply. —v. - a say by way of a retort. B make a retort.
- repay (an insult or attack) in kind. [latin retorqueo -tort- twist]
- —n. - vessel with a long neck turned downwards, used in distilling liquids.
- vessel for heating coal to generate gas. —v. Purify (mercury) by heating in a retort. [medieval latin: related to *retort1]
RETROD
past of *retread.
RETUNE
v. (-ning) 1 tune (a musical instrument) again or differently.
- tune (a radio etc.) To a different frequency.
RETURN
—v. - come or go back.
- bring, put, or send back.
- pay back or reciprocate; give in response.
- yield (a profit).
- say in reply; retort.
- (in cricket or tennis etc.) Hit or send (the ball) back.
- state, mention, or describe officially, esp. In answer to a writ or formal demand.
- (of an electorate) elect as an mp, government, etc. —n. - coming or going back.
- a giving, sending, putting, or paying back. B thing given or sent back.
- (in full return ticket) ticket for a journey to a place and back to the starting-point.
- (in sing. Or pl.) A proceeds or profit of an undertaking. B acquisition of these.
- formal statement compiled or submitted by order (income-tax return).
- (in full return match or game) second match etc. Between the same opponents.
- a person's election as an mp etc. B returning officer's announcement of this. by return (of post) by the next available post in the return direction. In return as an exchange or reciprocal action. Many happy returns (of the day) greeting on a birthday. returnable adj. [romanic: related to *turn]
A cat uses whiskers to determine if a space is too small to squeeze through. The whiskers act as antennae, helping the animal to judge the precise width of any passage.
