retiring

[ ri-tahyuhr-ing ]

/ rɪˈtaɪər ɪŋ /

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adjective

withdrawing from contact with others; reserved; shy.

Nearby words

retirement, retirement community, retirement pension, retirement plan, retirement relief, retiring, retiringly, retiré, retold, retook, retool

Origin of retiring

First recorded in 1540–50; retire + -ing²

SYNONYMS FOR retiring

2 diffident, bashful, timid.

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Related formsre·tir·ing·ly, adverbre·tir·ing·ness, nounnon·re·tir·ing, adjectiveun·re·tir·ing, adjective

Definition for retiring (2 of 2)

retire

[ ri-tahyuhr ]

/ rɪˈtaɪər /

verb (used without object), re·tired, re·tir·ing.

to withdraw, or go away or apart, to a place of privacy, shelter, or seclusion: He retired to his study.

to go to bed: He retired at midnight.

to withdraw from office, business, or active life, usually because of age: to retire at the age of sixty.

to fall back or retreat in an orderly fashion and according to plan, as from battle, an untenable position, danger, etc.

to withdraw or remove oneself: After announcing the guests, the butler retired.

verb (used with object), re·tired, re·tir·ing.

to withdraw from circulation by taking up and paying, as bonds, bills, etc.; redeem.

to withdraw or lead back (troops, ships, etc.), as from battle or danger; retreat.

to remove from active service or the usual field of activity, as an army officer or business executive.

to withdraw (a machine, ship, etc.) permanently from its normal service, usually for scrapping; take out of use.

Sports. to put out (a batter, side, etc.).

noun Literary.

a place of withdrawal; retreat: a cool retire from summer's heat.

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

Origin of retire

1525–35; < Middle French retirer to withdraw, equivalent to re- re- + tirer to draw

SYNONYMS FOR retire

5 leave, withdraw.

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Related formsre·tir·er, noun

Synonym study

5. See depart.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for retiring

I was thinking about retiring from modeling, but spending that time with them rekindled that bug.
Porn Stars on the Year in Porn: Drone Erotica, Belle Knox, and Wild Sex|Aurora Snow|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pope Francis said he would definitely consider stepping down, saying his predecessor has opened the door to retiring.
Will There Soon Be Three Living Popes?|Barbie Latza Nadeau|August 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Named after Sen. Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who is retiring in January, the rule is to “always attack and never defend.”
The Bruce Braley-Joni Ernst Race Is Iowa’s Ugliest Senate Campaign Ever|Ben Jacobs|July 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even Slayer frontman Tom Araya announced in 2010 he was retiring his signature helicopter and figure-eight style thrashing.
Doctors Say Motörhead Is So Hardcore, They Could Make Your Brain Bleed|Brandy Zadrozny|July 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Clinton though did appear via video at the state party dinner, which was being held in tribute to retiring Sen. Tom Harkin.
Hillary Clinton’s Secret Iowa Campaign Cadre|Ben Jacobs|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By placing the squadrons of horse and the light batteries in echelon, the retiring column may be well protected.
Elements of Military Art and Science|Henry Wager Halleck
There are many games played publicly at restaurants and in the retiring rooms of mercantile establishments.
In the Footprints of the Padres|Charles Warren Stoddard
Shy and retiring in its habits, it is rarely found far distant from aquatic vegetation.
Poachers and Poaching|John Watson
She gave her consent, however, to his leaving the pail on the porch and then retiring to the chestnut tree.
More Tish|Mary Roberts Rinehart
But about the retiring habits of both there could be no doubt.
Somehow Good|William de Morgan

British Dictionary definitions for retiring (1 of 2)

retiring

/ (rɪˈtaɪərɪŋ) /

adjective

shunning contact with others; shy; reserved

Derived Formsretiringly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for retiring (2 of 2)

retire

/ (rɪˈtaɪə) /

verb (mainly intr)

(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)

to go away, as into seclusion, for recuperation, etc

to go to bed

to recede or disappearthe sun retired behind the clouds

to withdraw from a sporting contest, esp because of injury

(also tr) to pull back (troops, etc) from battle or an exposed position or (of troops, etc) to fall back

(tr)

to remove (bills, bonds, shares, etc) from circulation by taking them up and paying for them
to remove (money) from circulation

Derived Formsretirer, noun

Word Origin for retire

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for retiring (1 of 2)

retiring

adj.

1580s, "departing, retreating," present participle adjective from retire (v.). Also "fond of retiring, disposed to seclusion," hence "unobtrusive, modest, subdued" (1766).

Word Origin and History for retiring (1 of 2)

retire

1530s, of armies, "to retreat," from Middle French retirer "to withdraw (something)," from re- "back" (see re-) + Old French tirer "to draw" (see tirade). Related: Retired; retiring.

Meaning "to withdraw" to some place, especially for the sake of privacy, is recorded from 1530s; sense of "leave an occupation" first attested 1640s (implied in retirement). Meaning "to leave company and go to bed" is from 1660s. Transitive sense is from 1540s, originally "withdraw, lead back" (troops, etc.); meaning "to remove from active service" is from 1680s. Baseball sense of "to put out" is recorded from 1874.

retiring

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of retiring

Definition for retiring (2 of 2)

retire

verb (used without object), re·tired, re·tir·ing.

verb (used with object), re·tired, re·tir·ing.

noun Literary.

Origin of retire

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for retiring

British Dictionary definitions for retiring (1 of 2)

retiring

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for retiring (2 of 2)

retire

verb (mainly intr)

Word Origin for retire

Word Origin and History for retiring (1 of 2)

retiring

Word Origin and History for retiring (1 of 2)

retire