The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Recede \Re*cede"\ (r[-e]*s[=e]d"), v. i. [imp. & p. p.
   Receded; p. pr. & vb. n. Receding.] [L. recedere,
   recessum; pref. re- re- + cedere to go, to go along: cf. F.
   rec['e]der. See Cede.]
   1. To move back; to retreat; to withdraw.
      [1913 Webster]

            Like the hollow roar
            Of tides receding from the insulted shore. --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

            All bodies moved circularly endeavor to recede from
            the center.                           --Bentley.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To withdraw a claim or pretension; to desist; to
      relinquish what had been proposed or asserted; as, to
      recede from a demand or proposition.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To retire; retreat; return; retrograde; withdraw;
        desist.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Recede \Re*cede"\ (r[=e]*s[=e]d"), v. t. [Pref. re- + cede. Cf.
   Recede, v. i.]
   To cede back; to grant or yield again to a former possessor;
   as, to recede conquered territory.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

recede
    v 1: pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew";
         "The limo pulled away from the curb" [syn: withdraw,
         retreat, pull away, draw back, recede, pull back,
         retire, move back] [ant: advance, go on, march
         on, move on, pass on, progress]
    2: retreat [syn: fall back, lose, drop off, fall behind,
       recede] [ant: advance, gain, gain ground, get
       ahead, make headway, pull ahead, win]
    3: become faint or more distant; "the unhappy memories of her
       childhood receded as she grew older"

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

54 Moby Thesaurus words for "recede":
   abate, back, back up, backslide, bate, close, cock, decline,
   depart, die away, diminish, drain, drift away, dwindle, ebb, fade,
   fade away, fall astern, fall back, fall behind, get behind, go,
   go away, go backwards, go behind, jerk back, lapse, lessen,
   lose ground, move away, move off, pull away, pull back, recidivate,
   regress, relapse, retire, retract, retreat, retrocede, retroflex,
   retrograde, retrogress, return, revert, shrink, sink, slip back,
   stand off, subside, taper, wane, widen the distance, withdraw