retreat
/ɹɪˈtɹiːt/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms retreats retreating retreated
- noun The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant.
- noun The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position.
- noun (military) Withdrawal by a military force from a dangerous position or from enemy attack. “The general opted for a swift retreat because he saw his troops were vastly outnumbered.”
- noun A peaceful, quiet place affording privacy or security. “a mountain retreat”
- noun (rare and obsolete, euphemistic) A peaceful, quiet place in which to urinate and defecate: an outhouse; a lavatory.
- noun A period of retirement, seclusion, or solitude, especially for meditation, prayer, or study. “We both need a week retreat after those two stressful years working in the city.”
- noun (military) A signal for a military withdrawal.
- noun (military) A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base.
- verb (intransitive) To withdraw from a position, go back.
- verb (intransitive) To withdraw military forces. “The general refused to order his soldiers to retreat, despite being vastly outnumbered.”
- verb (intransitive) To shrink back due to generally warmer temperatures. (of a glacier)
- verb (intransitive) To slope back. “a retreating forehead”
- proper noun A locality in the Tamworth council area, north eastern New South Wales, Australia.
- proper noun A locality in George Town council area and the City of Launceston, northern Tasmania, Australia.
Synonyms
back away back down balk beat a retreat bug out crawfish decline fall back draw back pull out recede regrade retire retrograde revert roll back shrink sound a retreat turn tail withdraw hideaway retirement pull away pull back move back back out crawfish out pull in one's horns
Antonyms
advance charge gain ground forge ahead lunge storm engage fight hold one's ground stand one's ground deadlock draw
Etymology
From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret, from Latin retractus, from retraho. Doublet of retract, retrait, and ritratto.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable.
- noun The place to which anyone retires; a place or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum.
- verb To make a retreat; to retire from any position or place; to withdraw; as, the defeated army retreated from the field.
Etymology [F. retraite, fr. retraire to withdraw, L. retrahere; pref. re- re- + trahere to draw. See Trace, and cf. Retract, Retrace.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “retreat”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details