Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
An act of retracting or withdrawing (a mistake, a statement, etc.); a retraction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A pulling back, especially (military) of an army or military troops; a pull-back, a retreat; also, a signal for this to be done.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A subgroup of a given group such that there is a surjective endomorphism from the ambient group to the subgroup which is constant on the subgroup; in this case the subgroup is a retract of the ambient group. In symbols: H in G is a retract of G if there exists a surjective homomorphism σ from G to H with σ|_H= operatorname id.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Topics: group-theory, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The target of a retraction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Topics: mathematics, sciences, topology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Synonym of retreat (“an act of accidentally injuring a horse's foot by incorrectly nailing it during shoeing”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: retreat
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To pull (something) back or back inside.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Synonyms: pull back
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To pull (something) back or back inside.
To draw (an extended body part) back into the body.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: specifically, transitive
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology
Synonyms: pull back
Antonyms: extend, protrude
verb
To avert (one's eyes or a gaze).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To pronounce (a sound, especially a vowel) farther to the back of the vocal tract.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, phonetics, phonology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To hold back (something); to restrain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To draw back; to draw up; to withdraw.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cancel or take back (something, such as an edict or a favour or grant previously bestowed); to rescind, to revoke.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To break or fail to keep (a promise, etc.); to renege.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written); to disavow, to repudiate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
Synonyms: unsay, unspeak, walk back, withcall, withdraw, abjure, backpedal, disavow, disown, eat one's words, recall, recant, retract, revoke, swallow, take back
Antonyms: affirm, confirm, maintain
verb
Originally in chess and now in other games as well: to take back or undo (a move); specifically (card games) to take back or withdraw (a card which has been played).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
Topics: games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To decline or fail to do something promised; to break one's word.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Of something said or written (such as published academic work): to take back or withdraw.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To change one's mind after declaring an intention to make a certain move.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, intransitive, obsolete
Topics: card-games, games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: abjure, recant, forswear, resile
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: disown, renounce, repudiate
verb
pull inward or towards a center
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: draw in
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: attract, pull, pull in, draw, draw in
Narrower terms: invaginate, introvert
verb
use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: pull back, draw back
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pull
verb
pull away from a source of disgust or fear
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: shrink back
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: flinch, squinch, funk, cringe, shrink, wince, recoil, quail
History
Partly: * from retract (verb) (see etymology 1); and * from Late Latin retractus (“a pulling back, retreat; refuge”), from Latin retractus (“withdrawn”), the perfect passive participle of Latin retrahō (“to draw or pull back, withdraw; to bring back; to compel to turn back; to recall; to get back, recover; to hold back, restrain, withhold; to remove, take away; to bring to light again; (Late Latin) to delay”) (see etymology 1) + -tus (suffix forming action nouns from verbs). Doublet of retrait, retreat, and ritratto.
From Late Middle English retracten, retract (“to absorb, draw in”), from Latin retractus (“withdrawn”), the perfect passive participle of Latin retrahō (“to draw or pull back, withdraw; to bring back; to compel to turn back; to recall; to get back, recover; to hold back, restrain, withhold; to remove, take away; to bring to light again; (Late Latin) to delay”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + trahō (“to drag, pull; to extract, withdraw”). Doublet of retreat.
From Middle French rétracter (“to annul; to reconsider; to withdraw”) (modern French rétracter (“to retract; to contract”)), and from its etymon Latin retractāre, the present active infinitive of retractō (“to retract, withdraw; to annul, revoke; to detract from; to undertake again; to reconsider; to remember; to decline, refuse”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + tractō (“to drag, haul, tug”) (from trahō (“to drag, pull; to extract, withdraw”) + -tō (frequentative suffix forming verbs)).
Across languages
47 source translations are retained for this English entry.
