retreat

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret, from Latin retractus, from retraho. Doublet of retract, retrait, and ritratto.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɹɪˈtɹiːt/, /ɹəˈtɹiːt/, /ɹiˈtɹiːt/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -iːt

Noun

retreat (plural retreats)

  1. The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant.
  2. The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position.
  3. A peaceful, quiet place affording privacy or security.
  4. (rare and obsolete, euphemistic) A peaceful, quiet place in which to urinate and defecate: an outhouse; a lavatory.
  5. A period of retirement, seclusion, or solitude.
    We both need a week retreat after those two stressful years working in the city.
  6. A period of meditation, prayer or study.
  7. Withdrawal by 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.
  8. A signal for a military withdrawal.
  9. A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base.
  10. A military ceremony to lower the flag.
  11. (chess) The move of a piece from a threatened position.
Derived terms
Translations

Verb

retreat (third-person singular simple present retreats, present participle retreating, simple past and past participle retreated) (intransitive)

  1. To withdraw from a position, go back.
    1. To withdraw military forces
      The general refused to order his soldiers to retreat, despite being vastly outnumbered.
  2. To shrink back due to generally warmer temperatures. (of a glacier)
  3. To slope back.
    • 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 111:
      His face was a fair weakness, his chin retreated, and his hair lay in crisp, almost flaxen curls on his low forehead; his eyes were rather large, pale blue, and blankly staring.
    a retreating forehead
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

re- + treat

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɹiːˈtɹiːt/
  • Rhymes: -iːt

Verb

retreat (third-person singular simple present retreats, present participle retreating, simple past and past participle retreated)

  1. Alternative spelling of re-treat

Further reading

Anagrams

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Borrowed from English retreat. Doublet of retrett.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /rɪˈtriːt/

Noun

retreat m (definite singular retreaten, indefinite plural retreater, definite plural retreatene)

  1. a period of meditation, prayer or study; retreat
  2. a location for such activities

Usage notes

  • Prior to the 2005 spelling reform, this noun was considered grammatically neuter.

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Borrowed from English retreat. Doublet of retrett.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /rɪˈtriːt/

Noun

retreat m (definite singular retreaten, indefinite plural retreatar, definite plural retreatane)

  1. a period of meditation, prayer or study; retreat
  2. a location for such activities

Usage notes

  • Prior to a revision made alongside the 2005 Bokmål spelling reform, this noun was considered grammatically neuter.

References

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