Retract

[rɪ'trækt]

Definition

(verb.) use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ).

Typist: Molly--From WordNet

Definition

(v. t.) To draw back; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can retract its claws; to retract a muscle.

(v. t.) To withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take back; as, to retract an accusation or an assertion.

(v. t.) To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to revoke.

(v. i.) To draw back; to draw up; as, muscles retract after amputation.

(v. i.) To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession or a declaration.

(n.) The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.

Editor: Peter

Synonyms and Synonymous

v. a. [1]. Withdraw, draw back.[2]. Recall, revoke, recant, abjure, disavow, cancel, take back.

v. n. Take back what was said, eat one's words.

Inputed by Leonard

Synonyms and Antonyms

SYN:Withdraw, recal, revoke, unsay, disavow, recant, abjure, renounce

ANT:Reiterate, repeat

Typist: Suzy

Definition

v.t. to retrace or draw back: to recall: to recant.—v.i. to take back what has been said or granted.—adjs. Retrac′table Retrac′tible capable of being retracted or recalled.—n. Retractā′tion.—p.adj. Retrac′ted (her.) couped by a line diagonal to the main direction: (bot.) bent back.—adj. Retrac′tile that may be drawn back as claws.—n. Retrac′tion act of retracting or drawing back: recantation.—adj. Retrac′tive able or ready to retract.—adv. Retrac′tively.—n. Retrac′tor one who or that which retracts or draws back: in breech-loading firearms a device for withdrawing a cartridge-shell from the barrel: (surg.) an instrument for holding apart the edges of a wound during operation: a bandage to protect the soft parts from injury by the saw: (zool.) a muscle serving to draw in any part.

Edited by ELLA