The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Retract \Re*tract"\, n. (Far.)
   The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Retract \Re*tract"\, v. i.
   1. To draw back; to draw up; as, muscles retract after
      amputation.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession
      or a declaration.
      [1913 Webster]

            She will, and she will not; she grants, denies,
            Consents, retracts, advances, and then files.
                                                  --Granville.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Retract \Re*tract"\ (r[-e]*tr[=a]kt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Retracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Retracting.] [F. r['e]tracter,
   L. retractare, retractatum, to handle again, reconsider,
   retract, fr. retrahere, retractum, to draw back. See
   Retreat.]
   1. To draw back; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can
      retract its claws; to retract a muscle.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take
      back; as, to retract an accusation or an assertion.
      [1913 Webster]

            I would as freely have retracted this charge of
            idolatry as I ever made it.           --Bp.
                                                  Stillingfleet.
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   3. To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to
      revoke. [Obs.] --Woodward.
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   Syn: To recall; withdraw; rescind; revoke; unsay; disavow;
        recant; abjure; disown.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

retract
    v 1: formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually
         under pressure; "He retracted his earlier statements about
         his religion"; "She abjured her beliefs" [syn: abjure,
         recant, forswear, retract, resile]
    2: pull away from a source of disgust or fear [syn: shrink
       back, retract]
    3: use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound
       or an organ) [syn: retract, pull back, draw back]
    4: pull inward or towards a center; "The pilot drew in the
       landing gear"; "The cat retracted his claws" [syn: draw in,
       retract]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

111 Moby Thesaurus words for "retract":
   abandon, abjure, abolish, abrogate, annul, assert the contrary,
   back, back down, back out, backwater, belie, cancel, cede,
   climb down, contest, contradict, contravene, controvert, counter,
   countermand, counterorder, crawfish out, cringe, cross, deny,
   disaffirm, disallow, disannul, disavow, disclaim, disgorge, disown,
   dispense with, dispose of, disprove, dispute, do away with,
   do without, draw back, draw in, drop, duck, dump, eat crow,
   eat humble pie, fall back, flinch, forgo, forswear, gainsay,
   get along without, get rid of, give away, give up, have done with,
   impugn, invalidate, join issue upon, kiss good-bye,
   make a sacrifice, make void, not accept, not admit, nullify,
   oppose, override, overrule, palinode, part with, pull back,
   pull in, pull out, quitclaim, recall, recant, refuse to admit,
   refute, relinquish, render up, renege, renounce, repeal, repudiate,
   rescind, resign, retreat, retrocede, retrograde, reverse, revoke,
   sacrifice, set aside, shrink, shy, spare, surrender, suspend,
   swallow, swear off, take, take back, take issue with, throw up,
   unsay, vacate, void, waive, wince, withdraw, write off, yield