retreat

re·treat

 (rĭ-trēt′)

n.

1.

a. The act or process of moving back or away, especially from something hazardous, formidable, or unpleasant: made a retreat from hectic city life to the country.

b. Withdrawal of a military force from a dangerous position or from an enemy attack.

c. The process of receding from a position or of becoming smaller: glaciers in retreat from positions of advancement.

d. The process of changing or undergoing change in one's thinking or in a position: a leader's retreat from political radicalism.

e. A decline in value: a retreat in housing prices.

2. A place affording peace, quiet, privacy, or security. See Synonyms at shelter.

3.

a. A period of seclusion, retirement, or solitude.

b. A period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, or study: a religious retreat.

4.

a. The signal for a military withdrawal: Sound the retreat!

b. A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base.

c. The military ceremony of lowering the flag.

v. re·treat·ed, re·treat·ing, re·treats

v.intr.

1. To move backward or away; withdraw or retire: retreated to his study. See Synonyms at recede¹.

2. To make a military retreat.

3. To move back from a position of advancement or become smaller: land that emerged when the oceans retreated.

4. To change or undergo change in one's thinking or in a position: They retreated from their demands.

5. To decline in value: Stocks retreated in morning trading.

v.tr. Games

To move (a chess piece) back.

---

[Middle English retret, from Old French retrait, retret, from past participle of retraire, retrere, to draw back, from Latin retrahere; see retract.]

---

re·treat′er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

retreat

(rɪˈtriːt)

vb (mainly intr)

1. (Military) military to withdraw or retire in the face of or from action with an enemy, either due to defeat or in order to adopt a more favourable position

2. to retire or withdraw, as to seclusion or shelter

3. (Physiology) (of a person's features) to slope back; recede

4. (Chess & Draughts) (tr) chess to move (a piece) back

n

5. the act of retreating or withdrawing

6. (Military) military

a. a withdrawal or retirement in the face of the enemy

b. a bugle call signifying withdrawal or retirement, esp (formerly) to within a defended fortification

7. retirement or seclusion

8. a place, such as a sanatorium or monastery, to which one may retire for refuge, quiet, etc

9. a period of seclusion, esp for religious contemplation

10. (Medicine) an institution, esp a private one, for the care and treatment of people who are mentally ill, infirm, elderly, etc

[C14: from Old French retret, from retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere to pull back; see retract]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

re-treat

(riˈtrit)

v.t., v.i.

to treat again.

[1880–1885]

re•treat

(rɪˈtrit)

n.

1. the forced or strategic withdrawal of a military force before an enemy.

2. the act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement.

3. a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy.

4. an asylum, as for the insane.

5. a retirement or a period of retirement for religious exercises and meditation.

6.

a. a flag-lowering ceremony held at sunset on a military post.

b. the bugle call or drumbeat played at this ceremony.

v.i.

7. to withdraw, retire, or draw back, esp. for shelter or seclusion.

8. to make a retreat.

9. to slope backward; recede.

10. to draw or lead back.

Idioms:

beat a retreat, to withdraw or retreat, esp. in disgrace.

[1300–50; (n.) retret < Old French, variant of retrait, n. use of past participle of retraire to draw back < Latin retrahere (see retract¹); (v.) late Middle English retreten < Middle French retraitier < Latin retractāre to retract²]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

retreat

• retreatant - A person taking part in a retreat.
• anabasis, catabasis - An anabasis is a military expedition and a catabasis is the retreat of an army.
• ivory tower - Suggests elegant detachment in a cool, white aerie, where a poet or philosopher might retreat to think and write.
• resile, arsle - To resile or arsle is to recoil, retreat, or draw back.

Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

retreat

Past participle: retreated
Gerund: retreating

Imperative

retreat

retreat

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	retreat - (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" withdrawal - the act of withdrawing; "the withdrawal of French troops from Vietnam" fallback, pullout, disengagement - to break off a military action with an enemy armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
	2.	retreat - a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet area, country - a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography); "it was a mountainous area"; "Bible country" ashram - (India) a place of religious retreat for Hindus ashram - a place of religious retreat modeled after the Indian ashram nook - a sheltered and secluded place nest - a cosy or secluded retreat pleasance - a pleasant and secluded part of a garden; usually attached to a mansion sanctum, sanctum sanctorum - a place of inviolable privacy; "he withdrew to his sanctum sanctorum, where the children could never go"
	3.	retreat - (military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous position signal, signaling, sign - any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message; "signals from the boat suddenly stopped" armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
	4.	retreat - (military) a bugle call signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset bugle call - a signal broadcast by the sound of a bugle armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
	5.	retreat - an area where you can be alone hideaway area - a part of a structure having some specific characteristic or function; "the spacious cooking area provided plenty of room for servants"
	6.	retreat - withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation; "the religious retreat is a form of vacation activity" retirement withdrawal - the act of withdrawing; "the withdrawal of French troops from Vietnam"
	7.	retreat - the act of withdrawing or going backward (especially to escape something hazardous or unpleasant) withdrawal - the act of withdrawing; "the withdrawal of French troops from Vietnam" forward motion, onward motion, advancement, progress, progression, procession, advance - the act of moving forward (as toward a goal)
Verb	1.	retreat - pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb" draw back, move back, pull away, pull back, recede, withdraw, retire back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, back out, retreat, pull back, withdraw - 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" go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" fall back - move back and away from; "The enemy fell back" retreat, retrograde - move back; "The glacier retrogrades" back down, back off, back up - move backwards from a certain position; "The bully had to back down"
	2.	retreat - move away, as for privacy; "The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer" go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" cocoon - retreat as if into a cocoon, as from an unfriendly environment; "Families cocoon around the T.V. set most evenings"; "She loves to stay at home and cocoon"
	3.	retreat - move back; "The glacier retrogrades" retrograde draw back, move back, pull away, pull back, recede, retreat, withdraw, retire - pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb"
	4.	retreat - 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" back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, back out, pull back, withdraw draw back, move back, pull away, pull back, recede, retreat, withdraw, retire - pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

retreat

verb

1. withdraw, retire, back off, draw back, leave, go back, shrink, depart, fall back, recede, pull back, back away, recoil, give ground, turn tail They were forced to retreat.
withdraw advance, engage, move forward

2. climb down, change your decision, backtrack, do a U-turn, reconsider, change your mind, flip-flop (informal, chiefly U.S.), concede defeat, back-pedal, eat your words The Government had to retreat on student loans.

3. ebb, recede, flow out, go down, fall The tide retreats up to 500 yards on big springs.

noun

1. flight, retirement, departure, withdrawal, evacuation The army was in full retreat.
flight charge, advance, entrance

2. climbdown, about-turn (Brit.), retraction, backdown, concession There will be no retreat from his position.

3. refuge, haven, resort, retirement, shelter, haunt, asylum, privacy, den, sanctuary, hideaway, seclusion He spent yesterday in his country retreat.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

retreat

noun

1. Something that physically protects, especially from danger:

asylum, cover, covert, harbor, haven, protection, refuge, sanctuary, shelter.

2. The moving back of a military force in the face of enemy attack or after a defeat:

fallback, pullback, pullout, retirement, withdrawal.

verb

1. To move back or away from a point, limit, or mark:

ebb, recede, retract, retrocede, retrograde, retrogress.

2. To move in a reverse direction:

back, backpedal, backtrack, fall back, retrocede, retrograde, retrogress.

Idiom: retrace one's steps.

3. To abandon a former position or commitment:

back down (or out), renege.

Slang: cop out, fink out.

4. To move back in the face of enemy attack or after a defeat:

draw back, fall back, pull back, pull out, retire, withdraw.

Idioms: beat a retreat, give ground.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

إنْسِحابتراجعتَراجُععُزْلَه، خُلْوَهيَتَراجَع

ústupustoupitústranísignál k ústupustáhnout se

retrætetilbagetrækningtilflugtssted

Rückzugsich zurückziehenzum Rückzug blasenZurückgezogenheit

οπισθοχώρησηοπισθοχωρώυποχώρησηυποχωρώ

retiradaretirarseretiro

retraitetanièreabribattrebattre en retraite

csendes napoklelkigyakorlattakarodó

athvarfdraga sig í hléhörfamerki um undanhaldundanhald

ritirarsiritirataritiroretrocedererifugio

後退する退却する

pedem referre

atsitraukimasatsitraukimo signalasnuošalė

atkāpšanāsatkāpšanās signālsatkāptiesnošķirtībanošķirties

retraite

gjøre retrettrefugiumrekreasjonshjemretreatretrett

retroceder

отступатьотступитьотступлениеотходретироваться

signál na ústupústranie

umakniti seumik

retirera

çekilme işaretiçekilmekgeri çekilmegeri çekilmekinziva köşesi

后退撤退撤退的信号离开撤退退却

retreat

[rɪˈtriːt]

A. N

1. (Mil) (= withdrawal) → retirada f (fig) → vuelta f atrás, marcha f atrás
the retreat from Mons → la retirada de Mons
to beat the retreat → dar el toque de retreta
to beat a retreat → retirarse, batirse en retirada (fig) → emprender la retirada
to beat a hasty retreat (fig) → retirarse en desorden
the government is in retreat on this issue → en este asunto el gobierno se está echando atrás
this represents a retreat from his promise → con esto se está volviendo atrás de su promesa
to be in full retreat → retirarse en masa, retirarse en todo el frente

2. (= place) (also Rel) → retiro m, refugio m; (= state) → retraimiento m, apartamiento m

B. VI

1. (Mil, Rel) (= move back) → retirarse
they retreated to Dunkirk → se retiraron a Dunquerque

2. (= draw back) → retroceder
the waters are retreating → las aguas están bajando

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

retreat

[rɪˈtriːt]

n

(= withdrawal) → retraite f
to beat a hasty retreat (= leave quickly) → battre en retraite

(MILITARY) → retraite f
in full retreat → en pleine retraite

(= refuge) → refuge m
a mountain retreat → un refuge de montagne

(for meditation) → retraite f
to go on retreat → se retirer, faire une retraite

(= escape) → repli m

vi

(= move away) → se retirer

[army] → battre en retraite

[flood] → se retirer; [glacier] → se retirer

(= back down) → reculer
to retreat from sth [+ commitment, promise] → revenir sur qch, rétracter qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

retreat

n

(Mil) → Rückzug m; to sound the retreat → zum Rückzug blasen; the army is in retreat → die Armee befindet sich or ist auf dem Rückzug; to make or beat a (hasty or swift) retreat (Mil) → (schnell) den Rückzug antreten; (fig) → (schleunigst) das Feld räumen; his retreat into silence → seine Zuflucht zum Schweigen

(= place) → Zufluchtsort m, → Zuflucht f; (= hiding place) → Schlupfwinkel m; this is my retreat → hierhin ziehe ich mich zurück; he has gone to his country retreat → er hat sich aufs Land zurückgezogen

vi

(Mil) → den Rückzug antreten; (in fear) → zurückweichen; (flood, glacier) → zurückgehen, zurückweichen; to retreat inside oneself → sich in sich selbst zurückziehen

(Chess) → zurückziehen

vt (Chess) → zurückziehen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

retreat

[rɪˈtriːt]

1. n

a. (place) → rifugio (Rel) → ritiro (spirituale)
a country retreat → una tranquilla casa in campagna
to go into retreat (Rel) → andare in ritiro

b. (Mil) → ritirata
to be in retreat → essere in ritirata or rotta
to beat a hasty retreat (fig) → battersela

2. vi (Mil) → ritirarsi, battere in ritirata; (flood) → ritirarsi; (move back) → ritrarsi

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

retreat

(riˈtriːt) verb

1. to move back or away from a battle (usually because the enemy is winning). After a hard struggle, they were finally forced to retreat. terugval يَتَراجَع отстъпвам bater em retirada ustoupit sich zurückziehen trække sig tilbage υποχωρώretirarse, batirse en retirada taganema عقب نشینی کردن perääntyä battre en retraite לָסֶגֶת पुन: सीखना uzmak, povlačenje visszavonul mundur hörfa ritirarsi 退く 후퇴하다 atsitraukti atkāpties berundur zich terugtrekkentrekke seg tilbake, gjøre retrettcofnąć się په شاكيدنه ،ځان كښنه ګوښه كيدنه،كښينا، ستنه ، ماتې، دعقلى ناروغوداستراحت ځاى ،ارام ځاى، ګوښه ځاى bater em retirada a bate în retragere отступать ustúpiť umakniti se povući se retirera ล่าถอย geri çekilmek 撤退 відходити; відступати پیچھے ہٹنا rút lui 撤退，退却

2. to withdraw; to take oneself away. He retreated to the peace of his own room. terugtrek يَنْسَحِب оттеглям се retirar-se stáhnout se sich zurückziehen trække sig tilbage αποσύρομαιretirarse eemalduma پس راندن lähteä se retirer לְהִתבּוֹדֵד वापस लेना povući se visszavonul menyingkir draga sig í hlé ritirarsi 引っ込む 물러서다 pasitraukti patverties; nošķirties mengundurkan diri zich terugtrekkentrekke seg tilbakewycofać się په شاكيدنه retirar-se a se retrage (în/la) уходить; удаляться stiahnuť sa, vzdialiť sa umakniti se povući se dra sig tillbaka ถอนตัว çekilmek 退回 виходити پسپا ہونا lùi về 后退，离开撤退

noun

1. the act of retreating (from a battle, danger etc). After the retreat, the soldiers rallied once more. terugval تَراجُع отстъпление retirada ústup der Rückzug retræte; tilbagetrækning υποχώρησηretirada taganemine صف آرایی perääntyminen retraiteנסיגה वापसी povlačenje, odstupanje visszavonulás gerakan mundur undanhald ritirata 退却 후퇴 atsitraukimas atkāpšanās pengunduran terugtochttilbaketrekking, retrettodwrót ځان كښنه ګوښه كيدنه retirada retragere отступление ústup umik povlačenje reträtt การล่าถอย geri çekilme 撤退 відступ پسپاءی sự rút lui 撤退

2. a signal to retreat. The bugler sounded the retreat. vlug إنْسِحاب отстъпление retirada signál k ústupu zum Rückzug blasen retræte σήμα υποχώρησης retirada taganemismärguanne فرمان با شیپور عقب نشینی vetäytymissignaali retraite אוֹת נְסִיגָה वापसी का संकेत znak za povlačenje takarodó isyarat mundur merki um undanhald ritirata 退却合図 철수의 신호 atsitraukimo signalas atkāpšanās signāls isyarat pengunduran sein voor de aftocht retrettsignalodwrót شاته تلنه retirada retragere сигнал к отходу signál na ústup znak za umik povlačenje reträttsignal สัญญาณถอย çekilme işareti 撤退的訊號 сигнал до відступу, відбій پسپاءی کا اشارہ lệnh rút lui 撤退退却的信号

3. (a place to which a person can go for) a period of rest, religious meditation etc. He has gone to a retreat to pray. meditasiesentrum عُزْلَه، خُلْوَه убежище retiro ústraní die Zurückgezogenheit tilflugtssted ησυχαστήριοretiro pelgupaik خلوت گاه؛ جای دنج retriitti retraite מָקוָם שָׁקֶט לִמנוּחָה एकान्त-वास utočište, zabit lelkigyakorlat,„csendes napok” tempat retret athvarf ritiro 黙想会 피난처 nuošalė, vienuma vientulība; nošķirtība pertapaan retraiterekreasjonshjem; refugium, retreat zacisze, ustronie ارام ځاى retiro loc retras; retragere tem­porară (pentru meditaţie) убежище ústranie, súkromie samota utočište tillflykt, fristad สถานที่ที่สงบเงียบ sığınak, inziva köşesi 靜修(處) усамітнення جاءے پناہ nơi ẩn dật （宗教的）静修

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.