Retractation

re·tract  (r-trkt)

v. re·tract·ed, re·tract·ing, re·tracts

v.tr.

1. To take back; disavow: refused to retract the statement.

2. To draw back or in: a plane retracting its landing gear. See Synonyms at recede¹.

3. Linguistics

a. To utter (a sound) with the tongue drawn back.

b. To draw back (the tongue).

v.intr.

1. To take something back or disavow it.

2. To draw back.

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[Latin retractre, to revoke, frequentative of retrahere, to draw back : re-, re- + trahere, to draw. V., tr., senses 2 and 3, and v., intr., sense 2, Middle English retracten, from Old French retracter, from Latin retractus, past participle of retrahere.]

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re·tracta·bili·ty, re·tracti·bili·ty n.

re·tracta·ble, re·tracti·ble adj.

retrac·tation (rtrk-tshn) n.