retch Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting
    heave.
    • a bad case of the heaves
  2. verb eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth
    regorge; be sick; disgorge; spew; vomit up; puke; honk; cat; purge; cast; spue; upchuck; vomit; sick; barf; regurgitate; throw up; chuck.
    • After drinking too much, the students vomited
    • He purged continuously
    • The patient regurgitated the food we gave him last night
  3. verb make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit
    gag; heave.

WordNet

Retch intransitive verb
Etymology
AS. hrcan to clear the throat, hawk, fr. hraca throat; akin to G. rachen, and perhaps to E. rack neck.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Retched ; present participle & verbal noun Retching
Definitions
  1. To make an effort to vomit; to strain, as in vomiting. Written also reach.
    Beloved Julia, hear me still beseeching! (Here he grew inarticulate with retching.) Byron.
Retch transitive verb & intransitive verb
Etymology
See Reck.
Definitions
  1. To care for; to heed; to reck. Obs. Chaucer.

Webster 1913