retreat

American  

[ri-treet] / rɪˈtrit /

noun

1. the forced or strategic withdrawal of an army or an armed force before an enemy, or the withdrawing of a naval force from action.

   Antonyms:

   advance

2. the act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion.

   Synonyms:

   withdrawal, departure

3. a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy.

   The library was his retreat.

   Synonyms:

   shelter

4. an asylum, as for the insane.

5. a retirement or a period of retirement for religious exercises and meditation.

6. Military.

   1. a flag-lowering ceremony held at sunset on a military post.

   2. the bugle call or drumbeat played at this ceremony.

7. the recession of a surface, as a wall or panel, from another surface beside it.

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verb (used without object)

1. to withdraw, retire, or draw back, especially for shelter or seclusion.

   Synonyms:

   leave

   Antonyms:

   advance, engage

2. to make a retreat.

   The army retreated.

   Antonyms:

   advance, engage

3. to slope backward; recede.

   a retreating chin.

4. to draw or lead back.

idioms

1. beat a retreat, to withdraw or retreat, especially hurriedly or in disgrace.

retreat British  

/ rɪˈtriːt /

verb

1. military to withdraw or retire in the face of or from action with an enemy, either due to defeat or in order to adopt a more favourable position

2. to retire or withdraw, as to seclusion or shelter

3. (of a person's features) to slope back; recede

4. (tr) chess to move (a piece) back

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noun

1. the act of retreating or withdrawing

2. military

   1. a withdrawal or retirement in the face of the enemy

   2. a bugle call signifying withdrawal or retirement, esp (formerly) to within a defended fortification

3. retirement or seclusion

4. a place, such as a sanatorium or monastery, to which one may retire for refuge, quiet, etc

5. a period of seclusion, esp for religious contemplation

6. an institution, esp a private one, for the care and treatment of people who are mentally ill, infirm, elderly, etc

retreat More Idioms  

1. see beat a retreat.

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Related Words

See depart.

Other Word Forms

• retreatal adjective
• retreater noun
• retreative adjective

Etymology

Origin of retreat

First recorded in 1300–50; (for the noun) Middle English retret, from Old French, variant of retrait, noun use of past participle of retraire “to draw back,” from Latin retrahere ( retract ¹ ); (for the verb) late Middle English retreten, from Middle French retraitier, from Latin retractāre “to reconsider, withdraw” ( retract ² )

Example Sentences

“Whether you’re planning an oceanfront retreat or securing a prime piece of Malibu real estate, this lot presents limitless potential,” it adds.

From MarketWatch

Ten-year Treasury note yields decrease and the S&P 500 retreats.

From Barron's

The two leaders will attend a traditional kite festival and visit the Sabarmati Ashram, the spiritual retreat where Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence struggle, lived for many years.

From Barron's

But, with retreating sea ice, there is less under-ice algae to feed the amphipods that in turn feed the whales.

From Los Angeles Times

“I don’t see any kind of retreat of the U.S. from the world,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abandon
• back down
• back off
• backtrack
• depart
• escape
• evacuate
• fall back
• go
• go back
• hide
• leave
• pull out
• recede
• reel
• retire
• reverse
• shrink
• withdraw