retreat
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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.
v.i. a. a flag-lowering ceremony held at sunset on a military post.
b. the bugle call or drumbeat played at this ceremony.
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
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new 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" 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 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" 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" 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" |
| 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" | |
| 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" |
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
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.
noun
1. flight, retirement, departure, withdrawal, evacuation The army was in full retreat.
flight charge, advance, entrance
flight charge, advance, entrance
2. climbdown, about-turn (Brit.), retraction, backdown, concession There will be no retreat from his position.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
retreat
noun1. Something that physically protects, especially from danger:
2. The moving back of a military force in the face of enemy attack or after a defeat:
1. To move back or away from a point, limit, or mark:
2. To move in a reverse direction:
Idiom: retrace one's steps.
4. To move back in the face of enemy attack or after a defeat:
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
csendes napoklelkigyakorlattakarodó
athvarfdraga sig í hléhörfamerki um undanhaldundanhald
後退する退却する
pedem referre
atsitraukimasatsitraukimo signalasnuošalė
atkāpšanāsatkāpšanās signālsatkāptiesnošķirtībanošķirties
signál na ústupústranie
umakniti seumik
retirera
çekilme işaretiçekilmekgeri çekilmegeri çekilmekinziva köşesi
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
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
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
(= escape) → repli m
vi
(= move away) → se retirer
[army] → battre en retraite
[flood] → se retirer; [glacier] → se retirer
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
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
to be in retreat → essere in ritirata or rotta
to beat a hasty retreat (fig) → battersela
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
retreat
(riˈtriːt) verb1. to move back or away from a battle (usually because the enemy is winning). After a hard struggle, they were finally forced to retreat.
2. to withdraw; to take oneself away. He retreated to the peace of his own room.
noun1. the act of retreating (from a battle, danger etc). After the retreat, the soldiers rallied once more.
2. a signal to retreat. The bugler sounded the retreat.
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.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.