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definitions

duty to retreat

[doo-tee tuh ri-treet, dyoo-tee]

noun Law.

a legal principle that requires a person as a first response to back away or flee from a threatening situation rather than attempt self-defense by deadly force: Duty to retreat has always been a debatable doctrine.

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Nearby words

  1. dutifully,
  2. dutton,
  3. duty,
  4. duty bound,
  5. duty officer,
  6. duty-bound,
  7. duty-free,
  8. duty-free shop,
  9. duumvir,
  10. duumvirate
Compare stand your ground.

Origin of duty to retreat

First recorded in 1780–90
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019