Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Retch \Retch\, v. t. & i. [See {Reck}.]
   To care for; to heed; to reck. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Retch \Retch\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Retched}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Retching}.] [AS. hr?can to clear the throat, hawk, fr. hraca
   throat; akin to G. rachen, and perhaps to E. rack neck.]
   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.

Source : WordNet®

retch
     n : an involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting; "a bad case of
         the heaves" [syn: {heave}]
     v 1: eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth; "After
          drinking too much, the students vomited"; "He purged
          continuously"; "The patient regurgitated the food we
          gave him last night" [syn: {vomit}, {vomit up}, {purge},
           {cast}, {sick}, {cat}, {be sick}, {disgorge}, {regorge},
           {puke}, {barf}, {spew}, {spue}, {chuck}, {upchuck}, {honk},
           {regurgitate}, {throw up}] [ant: {keep down}]
     2: make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit [syn:
        {gag}, {heave}]