To retch is to try to vomit — your stomach heaves, your throat tightens, you make that ugly sound — but nothing comes up, or not yet. It is the body’s rehearsal for being sick.

To retch is to try to vomitRetch是試著要吐 — your stomach heaves, your throat tightens, you make that ugly sound你的胃在翻攪、喉嚨緊縮，發出那種難聽的聲音 — but nothing comes up, or not yet但什麼都還沒吐出來，或至少還沒有。It is the body's rehearsal for being sick這是身體為了要吐而做的預演。

People retch at a bad smell, at something disgusting, after coughing too hard, or when they are really ill. You can also say a retch for the sound or the movement.

People retch at a bad smell, at something disgusting, after coughing too hard, or when they are really ill人會因為難聞的氣味、噁心的東西、咳得太用力，或真的病了而retch。You can also say a retch for the sound or the movement你也可以說a retch，指那個聲音或那個動作。

It is a physical, slightly ugly word; nobody uses it in polite speeches.

It is a physical, slightly ugly word這是個很生理、有點難看的字； nobody uses it in polite speeches沒有人會在正式演講裡用它。

Though actually, retch is not the same as vomit: vomit is when something leaves the stomach; retch is the trying. And it is not wretch, which is a different word meaning an unlucky or despised person. They only look like cousins.

Though actually不過其實， retch is not the same as vomitretch跟vomit不一樣： vomit is when something leaves the stomachvomit是東西真的離開了胃； retch is the tryingretch是那個試著要吐的過程。And it is not wretch而且它也不是wretch， which is a different word meaning an unlucky or despised personwretch是另一個字，意思是一個倒楣或被人瞧不起的人。They only look like cousins這兩個字只是長得像表親而已。