Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter R - Page 56

Retract (v. i.) To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession or a declaration.

Retract (n.) The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.

Retractable (a.) Capable of being retracted; retractile.

Retractate (v. t.) To retract; to recant.

Retractation (n.) The act of retracting what has been said; recantation.

Retractible (a.) Retractable.

Retractile (a.) Capable of retraction; capable of being drawn back or up; as, the claws of a cat are retractile.

Retraction (n.) The act of retracting, or drawing back; the state of being retracted; as, the retraction of a cat's claws.

Retraction (n.) The act of withdrawing something advanced, stated, claimed, or done; declaration of change of opinion; recantation.

Retraction (n.) The act of retracting or shortening; as, the retraction of a severed muscle; the retraction of a sinew.

Retraction (n.) The state or condition of a part when drawn back, or towards the center of the body.

Retractive (a.) Serving to retract; of the nature of a retraction.

Retractive (n.) That which retracts, or withdraws.

Retractor (n.) One who, or that which, retracts.

Retractor (n.) In breech-loading firearms, a device for withdrawing a cartridge shell from the barrel.

Retractor (n.) An instrument for holding apart the edges of a wound during amputation.

Retractor (n.) A bandage to protect the soft parts from injury by the saw during amputation.

Retractor (n.) A muscle serving to draw in any organ or part. See Illust. under Phylactolaemata.

Retraict (n.) Retreat.

Retrait (n.) A portrait; a likeness.

Retransform (v. t.) To transform anew or back.

Retranslate (v. t.) To translate anew; especially, to translate back into the original language.

Retraxit (n.) The withdrawing, or open renunciation, of a suit in court by the plaintiff, by which he forever lost his right of action.

Retread (v. t. & i.) To tread again.

Retreat (n.) The act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable.

Retreat (n.) The place to which anyone retires; a place or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum.

Retreat (n.) The retiring of an army or body of men from the face of an enemy, or from any ground occupied to a greater distance from the enemy, or from an advanced position.

Retreat (n.) The withdrawing of a ship or fleet from an enemy for the purpose of avoiding an engagement or escaping after defeat.

Retreat (n.) A signal given in the army or navy, by the beat of a drum or the sounding of trumpet or bugle, at sunset (when the roll is called), or for retiring from action.

Retreat (n.) A special season of solitude and silence to engage in religious exercises.

Retreat (n.) A period of several days of withdrawal from society to a religious house for exclusive occupation in the duties of devotion; as, to appoint or observe a retreat.

Retreated (imp. & p. p.) of Retreat

Retreating (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Retreat

Retreat (v. i.) To make a retreat; to retire from any position or place; to withdraw; as, the defeated army retreated from the field.

Retreatful (a.) Furnishing or serving as a retreat.

Retreatment (n.) The act of retreating; specifically, the Hegira.

Retrenched (imp. & p. p.) of Retrench

Retrenching (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Retrench

Retrench (v. t.) To cut off; to pare away.

Retrench (v. t.) To lessen; to abridge; to curtail; as, to retrench superfluities or expenses.

Retrench (v. t.) To confine; to limit; to restrict.

Retrench (v. t.) To furnish with a retrenchment; as, to retrench bastions.

Retrench (v. i.) To cause or suffer retrenchment; specifically, to cut down living expenses; as, it is more reputable to retrench than to live embarrassed.

Retrenchment (n.) The act or process of retrenching; as, the retrenchment of words in a writing.

Retrenchment (n.) A work constructed within another, to prolong the defense of the position when the enemy has gained possession of the outer work; or to protect the defenders till they can retreat or obtain terms for a capitulation.

Retrial (n.) A secdond trial, experiment, or test; a second judicial trial, as of an accused person.

Retribute (v. t.) To pay back; to give in return, as payment, reward, or punishment; to requite; as, to retribute one for his kindness; to retribute just punishment to a criminal.

Retributer (n.) One who makes retribution.

Retribution (n.) The act of retributing; repayment.

Retribution (n.) That which is given in repayment or compensation; return suitable to the merits or deserts of, as an action; commonly, condign punishment for evil or wrong.

Retribution (n.) Specifically, reward and punishment, as distributed at the general judgment.

Retributive (a.) Alt. of Retributory

Retributory (a.) Of or pertaining to retribution; of the nature of retribution; involving retribution or repayment; as, retributive justice; retributory comforts.

Retrievable (a.) That may be retrieved or recovered; admitting of retrieval.

Retrieval (n.) The act retrieving.

Retrieved (imp. & p. p.) of Retrieve

Retrieving (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Retrieve

Retrieve (v. t.) To find again; to recover; to regain; to restore from loss or injury; as, to retrieve one's character; to retrieve independence.

Retrieve (v. t.) To recall; to bring back.

Retrieve (v. t.) To remedy the evil consequence of, to repair, as a loss or damadge.

Retrieve (v. i.) To discover and bring in game that has been killed or wounded; as, a dog naturally inclined to retrieve.

Retrieve (n.) A seeking again; a discovery.

Retrieve (n.) The recovery of game once sprung; -- an old sporting term.

Retrievement (n.) Retrieval.

Retriever (n.) One who retrieves.

Retriever (n.) A dor, or a breed of dogs, chiefly employed to retrieve, or to find and recover game birds that have been killed or wounded.

Retrim (v. t.) To trim again.

Retriment (n.) Refuse; dregs.

Retro- () A prefix or combining form signifying backward, back; as, retroact, to act backward; retrospect, a looking back.

Retroact (v. i.) To act backward, or in return; to act in opposition; to be retrospective.

Retroaction (n.) Action returned, or action backward.

Retroaction (n.) Operation on something past or preceding.

Retroactive (a.) Fitted or designed to retroact; operating by returned action; affecting what is past; retrospective.

Retroactively (adv.) In a retroactive manner.

Retrocede (v. t.) To cede or grant back; as, to retrocede a territory to a former proprietor.

Retrocede (v. i.) To go back.

Retrocedent (a.) Disposed or likely to retrocede; -- said of diseases which go from one part of the body to another, as the gout.

Retrocession (n.) The act of retroceding.

Retrocession (n.) The state of being retroceded, or granted back.

Retrocession (n.) Metastasis of an eruption or a tumor from the surface to the interior of the body.

Retrochoir (n.) Any extension of a church behind the high altar, as a chapel; also, in an apsidal church, all the space beyond the line of the back or eastern face of the altar.

Retrocopulant (a.) Copulating backward, or from behind.

Retrocopulation (n.) Copulation from behind.

Retroduction (n.) A leading or bringing back.

Retroflex (a.) Alt. of Retroflexed

Retroflexed (a.) Reflexed; bent or turned abruptly backward.

Retroflexion (n.) The act of reflexing; the state of being retroflexed. Cf. Retroversion.

Retrofract (a.) Alt. of Retrofracted

Retrofracted (a.) Refracted; as, a retrofract stem.

Retrogenerative (a.) Begetting young by retrocopulation.

Retrogradation (n.) The act of retrograding, or moving backward.

Retrogradation (n.) The state of being retrograde; decline.

Retrograde (a.) Apparently moving backward, and contrary to the succession of the signs, that is, from east to west, as a planet.

Retrograde (a.) Tending or moving backward; having a backward course; contrary; as, a retrograde motion; -- opposed to progressive.

Retrograde (a.) Declining from a better to a worse state; as, a retrograde people; retrograde ideas, morals, etc.

Retrograded (imp. & p. p.) of Retrograde

Retrograding (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Retrograde

Retrograde (v. i.) To go in a retrograde direction; to move, or appear to move, backward, as a planet.

Retrograde (v. i.) Hence, to decline from a better to a worse condition, as in morals or intelligence.

Retrogradingly (adv.) By retrograding; so as to retrograde.

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