Retreat
[rɪ'triːt] or [rɪ'trit]
Definition
(noun.) the act of withdrawing or going backward (especially to escape something hazardous or unpleasant).
(noun.) (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'.
(noun.) (military) a bugle call signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset.
(noun.) (military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous position.
(noun.) a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet.
(verb.) 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'.
(verb.) move away, as for privacy; 'The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer'.
Checked by Irving--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) The act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable.
(n.) The place to which anyone retires; a place or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum.
(n.) The retiring of an army or body of men from the face of an enemy, or from any ground occupied to a greater distance from the enemy, or from an advanced position.
(n.) The withdrawing of a ship or fleet from an enemy for the purpose of avoiding an engagement or escaping after defeat.
(n.) A signal given in the army or navy, by the beat of a drum or the sounding of trumpet or bugle, at sunset (when the roll is called), or for retiring from action.
(n.) A special season of solitude and silence to engage in religious exercises.
(n.) A period of several days of withdrawal from society to a religious house for exclusive occupation in the duties of devotion; as, to appoint or observe a retreat.
(v. i.) To make a retreat; to retire from any position or place; to withdraw; as, the defeated army retreated from the field.
Edited by Cathryn
Synonyms and Synonymous
n. [1]. Departure, withdrawal.[2]. Retirement, seclusion, privacy.[3]. Asylum, refuge, shelter.[4]. Haunt, resort, den.
v. n. [1]. Withdraw, retire, give way.[2]. Recede, fall back, take the back track.
Typed by Cecil
Synonyms and Antonyms
[See REPLY_and_RETALIATE]
SYN:Retirement, departure, withdrawal, seclusion, solitude, privacy, asylum,shelter, refuge, recess,[See RETIRE]
Typed by Elvin
Definition
n. a drawing back or retracing one's steps: retirement: place of privacy: withdrawal: a place of security: a shelter: (mil.) the act of retiring in order from before the enemy or from an advanced position: the signal for retiring from an engagement or to quarters: a special season of religious meditation.—v.i. to draw back: to recede: to consider: to retire esp. to a place of shelter: to retire before an enemy or from an advanced position: in fencing to move back so as to avoid the point of the adversary's sword: to slope back as a retreating forehead.—ns. Retreat′er; Retreat′ment.
Typist: Tim
Examples
- The shady retreat furnished relief from the garish day to the primitive man, and the opaque shades and Venetian blinds of modern civilization exclude the excess of light at our windows. Edward W. Byrn. The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century.
- There was no need to confuse our retreat. Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell To Arms.
- In order to get a start in his retreat he sacrificed his sick and wounded. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- The crusaders beleaguered Prague, but failed to take it, and they experienced a series of reverses that ended in their retreat from Bohemia. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- That the oldest had still hopes of living one day longer, and looked on death as the greatest evil, from which nature always prompted him to retreat. Jonathan Swift. Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World.
- The attack was made, the Mexican reserves behind the works beat a hasty retreat, and those occupying them surrendered. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- Where will they retreat to, Tenente? Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell To Arms.
- Along this road they retreated on the next day, and here was the bank at which the regiment bivouacked under the rain of the night of the seventeenth. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- During the night of the 2d the enemy evacuated Petersburg and Richmond, and retreated towards Danville. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- After burning Chambersburg McCausland retreated, pursued by our cavalry, towards Cumberland. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- I did not wait to be ordered back to mine, but retreated unnoticed, as unnoticed I had left it. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- They retreated, and, joining others of their companions, still fell back, till they reached the main body. Mary Shelley. The Last Man.
- Good-bye, then, he said, shaking his fist in a rage, and slamming the door by which he retreated. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- Those that were not captured retreated, and were pursued. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- Slowly the launch drifted round in a pathetic, clumsy circle, and slunk away to the land, retreating into the dimness. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- But having committed herself to this line of action there was no retreating for bad weather. Thomas Hardy. The Return of the Native.
- As their retreating footsteps died away in the distance, I called out softly the Martian word of greeting, kaor. Edgar Rice Burroughs. A Princess of Mars.
- I say, all on ye, he said retreating a pace or two back, look at me,--look at me,--look me right in the eye,--_straight_, now! Harriet Beecher Stowe. Uncle Tom's Cabin.
- The bridge was carried quickly, the enemy retreating over it so hastily that many were shoved into the river, and some of them were drowned. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- I will not trust to THAT, retreating to her own room. Jane Austen. Sense and Sensibility.
- The retreating hordes being between friends and pursuers caused the enemy to fire high to avoid killing their own men. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- At last the enemy retreats, and then Smallweed fetches Mr. Jobling up. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- If he retreats and you follow, he must lose his material and much of his army. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- One by one the tribe swung down from their arboreal retreats and formed a circle about Tarzan and his vanquished foe. Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan of the Apes.
- New mills, when erected, were provided with this system, and many mills in their quiet retreats everywhere awoke from their drowsy methods and were equipped with the new one. William Henry Doolittle. Inventions in the Century.
- Mr. Guppy retreats behind a chair. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- Without these hospitable retreats, travel in Palestine would be a pleasure which none but the strongest men could dare to undertake. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- I tell thee it never retreats, and never stops. Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
Editor: Stu