retreat
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Verb (4)retreats, retreated, retreating
- pull back or move away or backward“The enemy withdrew”“The limo pulled away from the curb”Synonyms: withdrawpull awaydraw backrecedepull backretiremove backMore general travel, goMore specific back up, fall back, retrogradeSimilar pull back, back out
- move away, as for privacy“The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer”More general travel, goMore specific cocoon
- move back“The glacier retrogrades”Synonyms: retrogradeMore general withdraw, pull away
- make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity“We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him”“He backed out of his earlier promise”“The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns”Synonyms: pull backback outback awaycrawfishcrawfish outpull in one's hornswithdrawMore general discontinue, stopSimilar withdraw, pull away
Noun (7)retreats
- (military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat“the disorderly retreat of French troops”Type of withdrawalKinds disengagement, fallback
- a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quietType of area, countryKinds sanctum, ashram, nook, nest, pleasanceExamples Camp David
- (military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous positionType of signal, signaling
- (military) a bugle call signaling the lowering of the flag at sunsetType of bugle call
- an area where you can be aloneSynonyms: hideawayType of area
- withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation“the religious retreat is a form of vacation activity”Synonyms: retirementType of withdrawal
- the act of withdrawing or going backward (especially to escape something hazardous or unpleasant)
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Verb to withdraw military forces
- French
- battre en retraite
- Italian
- battere in ritirata
- Russian
- отступа́ть otstupátʹ
- Arabic
- تَرَاجَعَ tarājaʕa
- Chinese
- 退却 tuìquè
- Polish
- odstępować
- Swedish
- retirera
- Greek
- αποτραβιέμαι apotraviémai
- Korean
- 후퇴하다 hutoehada
- Vietnamese
- rút lui
Noun act of pulling back or withdrawing
- Spanish
- retirada
- French
- retraite
- German
- Rückzug
- Italian
- ritirata
- Russian
- отступле́ние otstuplénije
- Arabic
- تَرَاجُع tarājuʕ
- Chinese
- 后退 hòutuì
- Japanese
- 後退 kōtai
- Dutch
- terugtocht
- Polish
- odwrót
9 more languages
- Greek
- υποχώρηση ypochórisi
- Korean
- 후퇴 hutoe
- Indonesian
- mundur
- Hungarian
- visszavonulás
- Chinese (Trad.)
- 後退 hòutuì
- Czech
- ústup
- Finnish
- perääntyminen
- Norwegian
- retrett
- Romanian
- retragere
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: F. retraite, fr. retraire to withdraw, L. retrahere; pref. re- re- + trahere to draw. See Trace, and cf. Retract, Retrace.
1. The act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable.
In a retreat he outruns any lackey.— William Shakespeare
2. The place to which anyone retires; a place or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum.
He built his son a house of pleasure, and spared no cost to make a delicious retreat.— Sir Roger L'Estrange
That pleasing shade they sought, a soft retreat From sudden April showers, a shelter from the heat.— John Dryden
3. Mil. & Naval. (a) The retiring of an army or body of men from the face of an enemy, or from any ground occupied to a greater distance from the enemy, or from an advanced position. (b) The withdrawing of a ship or fleet from an enemy for the purpose of avoiding an engagement or escaping after defeat. (c) A signal given in the army or navy, by the beat of a drum or the sounding of trumpet or bugle, at sunset (when the roll is called), or for retiring from action.
☞ A retreat is properly an orderly march, in which circumstance it differs from a flight.
4. Church (a) A special season of solitude and silence to engage in religious exercises. (b) A period of several days of withdrawal from society to a religious house for exclusive occupation in the duties of devotion; as, to appoint or observe a retreat.
Synonyms: Retirement; departure; withdrawment; seclusion; solitude; privacy; asylum; shelter; refuge.
To make a retreat; to retire from any position or place; to withdraw; as, the defeated army retreated from the field.
The rapid currents drive Towards the retreating sea their furious tide.— John Milton
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54