retain.
retired.
return.
returned.
1400–50; late Middle English reten, retten; cognate with Dutch reten (compare Dutch roten, German rössen, Swedish röta ); akin to rot
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The energy provider used to be able to source equipment from within Ukraine, but now it has to scour the ret of Europe for replacement parts.
From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2025
The priests removed the image and Anei Kur was ret.
From Time Magazine Archive
B, Section of Eye of Scolopendra. len, Corneal lens; ret, retinal or visual cells; n. opt, optic nerve.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 6 "Celtes, Konrad" to "Ceramics" by Various
Got uh brother libin' ret on dis here street; one den toof doctors, yuh know, what pulls yer teef.
From Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States, From Interviews with Former Slaves Virginia Narratives by Work Projects Administration
Nod de virst ret cendt for Breitmann! ish dis do pe de gry On de man dat sacked de repels und trinked dem high und dry?
From The Breitmann Ballads by Leland, Charles Godfrey
A considerable amount of flax grown elsewhere in Europe is sent to this part of Belgium to be retted.
From Commercial Geography A Book for High Schools, Commercial Courses, and Business Colleges by Redway, Jacques W. (Jacques Wardlaw)
In the Messaoria, about Ano and Kato Zodia, where flax is commonly grown, the plant is retted in the river Ovgos, which retains sufficient water usually until August.
From Notes on Agriculture in Cyprus and Its Products by Bevan, William
Both lots when retted and scutched were examined by an inspector of the department and by several flax spinners.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 4 "Finland" to "Fleury, Andre" by Various
This must be retted, carded, spun and woven, and then with scissors, needle and thread I will make you any article of clothing you choose.'
From Swiss Family Robinson by Wyss, Johann David
The first was a wooden press used to crush the stalks of retted hemp straw, so that the harl came away and left the fibre clean.
From The Spinners by Phillpotts, Eden
By this arrangement the flax is almost continually immersed in fresh water, a condition which hastens the retting.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 4 "Finland" to "Fleury, Andre" by Various
Flax′-comb, a toothed instrument or heckle for cleaning the fibres of flax; Flax′-dress′er, one who prepares flax for the spinner by the successive processes of rippling, retting, grassing, breaking, and scutching.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
The plants after being gathered are subjected to a process called "retting" which separates the fibre from the decaying part of the plant.
From Vegetable Dyes Being a Book of Recipes and Other Information Useful to the Dyer by Mairet, Ethel M.
The retting in stagnant water is more rapidly done, but there is danger of over-retting on account of the organic matter retained in the water which favors fermentation.
From Textiles and Clothing by Watson, Kate Heintz
The process is called retting, which is really rotting by soaking the stem in water.
From Textiles For Commercial, Industrial, and Domestic Arts Schools; Also Adapted to Those Engaged in Wholesale and Retail Dry Goods, Wool, Cotton, and Dressmaker's Trades by Dooley, William H. (William Henry)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
