retire

¹

[ ri-tahyuhr ]

verb (used without object)

, re·tired, re·tir·ing.

1. to withdraw from one's career, occupation, or office, usually because of age:

   to retire at the age of sixty.

2. to withdraw, or go away or apart, to a place of privacy, shelter, or seclusion:

   He retired to his study.

3. to go to bed:

   He retired at midnight.

4. to fall back or retreat in an orderly fashion and according to plan, as from battle, an untenable position, danger, etc.
5. to withdraw or remove oneself:

   After announcing the guests, the butler retired.

   Synonyms: withdraw, leave

verb (used with object)

, re·tired, re·tir·ing.

1. to withdraw from circulation by taking up and paying, as bonds, bills, etc.; redeem.
2. to withdraw or lead back (troops, ships, etc.), as from battle or danger; retreat.
3. to remove from active service or the usual field of activity, as an army officer or business executive.
4. to withdraw (a machine, ship, etc.) permanently from its normal service, usually for scrapping; take out of use.
5. Baseball, Cricket. to put out or end the offensive play of (a batter, runner, side, etc.):

   The pitcher’s on fire, retiring the last five hitters with strikeouts.

   With two runners stranded on base, the side is retired.

noun

, Literary.

1. a place of withdrawal; retreat:

   a cool retire from summer's heat.

2. retirement or withdrawal, as from worldly matters or the company of others.

retiré

²

[ French ruh-tee-rey ]

noun

, Ballet.

, plural re·ti·rés [r, uh, -tee-, rey].

1. a movement in which the dancer brings one foot to the knee of the supporting leg and then returns it to the fifth position.

retire

/ rɪˈtaɪə /

verb

1. also tr to give up or to cause (a person) to give up his work, a post, etc, esp on reaching pensionable age (in Britain and Australia usually 65 for men, 60 for women)
2. to go away, as into seclusion, for recuperation, etc
3. to go to bed
4. to recede or disappear

   the sun retired behind the clouds

5. to withdraw from a sporting contest, esp because of injury
6. also tr to pull back (troops, etc) from battle or an exposed position or (of troops, etc) to fall back
7. tr
   1. to remove (bills, bonds, shares, etc) from circulation by taking them up and paying for them
   2. to remove (money) from circulation

Derived Forms

• reˈtirer, noun

Other Words From

• re·tir·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of retire¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French retirer “to withdraw, pull back,” equivalent to re- re- + tirer “to draw”

Origin of retire²

< French, past participle of retirer to retire

Word History and Origins

Origin of retire¹

C16: from French retirer, from Old French re- + tirer to pull, draw

Synonym Study

See depart.

Example Sentences

Expect the couple to find another mansion in a safe Democratic district where an aging representative is expected to retire.

From The Daily Beast

And when asked whether he worries about Studio Ghibli after he and Takahata retire, Miyazaki is frank.

From The Daily Beast

Age is one of many factors, but it will play a larger role in the conversation as Baby Boomers retire and longevity is extended.

From The Daily Beast

As Raimondo tells it, most public sector workers in the state were able to retire at age 55 with 80 percent of their pay.

From The Daily Beast

But “he was so shocked by the disorganization and lack of seriousness that he submitted his papers to retire.”

From The Daily Beast

Will the new issues promptly retire when their special task is over?

From Project Gutenberg

The unhappy applicant was naturally obliged to temporarily retire from the game, at all events for that night.

From Project Gutenberg

A lineman was sent out to repair it under escort of civil guards, who were forced by the rebels to retire.

From Project Gutenberg

“I understood, Baron, that you had quite made up your mind to retire within a very few weeks,” said David Arden.

From Project Gutenberg

"Perhaps you will not care to retire, and would rather sit out where the air is best," she suggested.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• depart
• go
• pull out
• relinquish
• remove
• retreat
• separate
• surrender
• withdraw