retreat

[ ri-treet ]

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.

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.

retreat

/ 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

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

Other Words From

• re·treatal adjective
• re·treater noun
• re·treative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of retreat¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of retreat¹

C14: from Old French retret , from retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere to pull back; see retract

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

More idioms and phrases containing retreat

see beat a retreat .

Synonym Study

See depart.

Example Sentences

Not much later, she booked herself into a 10-day silent meditation retreat.

From Los Angeles Times

Such a retreat would represent a major blow to America’s imperial role in the Pacific, potentially making it no longer a significant player in the security of its Asia-Pacific allies.

From Salon

The Inn at Little Washington is a restorative retreat in the Virginia countryside, a place where the extraordinary is the norm and every detail is thoughtfully considered.

From Salon

Wagner fighters are said to have infiltrated Chad from the CAR and clashed with the local army, before retreating.

From BBC

"Specialist" lifeforms that live under Arctic sea ice are at risk as the ice retreats, new research shows.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• haven
• hideaway
• refuge
• resort
• sanctuary
• shelter