retreat

—retreatal, adj. —retreater, n. —retreative, adj.

/ri treet"/, n.

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.

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

3. a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy: The library was his retreat.

4. an asylum, as for the insane.

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

6. Mil.

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

b. 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.

8. beat a retreat, to withdraw or retreat, esp. hurriedly or in disgrace.

v.i.

9. to withdraw, retire, or draw back, esp. for shelter or seclusion.

10. to make a retreat: The army retreated.

11. to slope backward; recede: a retreating chin.

12. to draw or lead back.

[1300-50; (n.) ME retret < OF, var. of retrait, n. use of ptp. of retraire to draw back < L retrahere (re- RE- + trahere to draw; see RETRACT¹); (v.) late ME retreten < MF retraitier < L retractare to RETRACT²]

Syn. 2. departure, withdrawal. 3. shelter. 9. leave, pull back. See depart.

Ant. 1, 9, 10. advance.

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