English edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret, from Latin retractus, from retraho. Doublet of retract, retrait, and ritratto.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ɹɪˈtɹiːt/, /ɹəˈtɹiːt/, /ɹiˈtɹiːt/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -iːt

Noun edit

retreat (plural retreats)

  1. The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant.
  2. The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position.
  3. A peaceful, quiet place affording privacy or security.
  4. (rare and obsolete, euphemistic) A peaceful, quiet place in which to urinate and defecate: an outhouse; a lavatory.
  5. A period of retirement, seclusion, or solitude.
    We both need a week retreat after those two stressful years working in the city.
  6. A period of meditation, prayer or study.
  7. Withdrawal by military force from a dangerous position or from enemy attack.
    The general opted for a swift retreat because he saw his troops were vastly outnumbered.
  8. A signal for a military withdrawal.
  9. A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base.
  10. A military ceremony to lower the flag.
  11. (chess) The move of a piece from a threatened position.
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit

Verb edit

retreat (third-person singular simple present retreats, present participle retreating, simple past and past participle retreated) (intransitive)

  1. To withdraw from a position, go back.
    1. To withdraw military forces
      The general refused to order his soldiers to retreat, despite being vastly outnumbered.
  2. To shrink back due to generally warmer temperatures. (of a glacier)
  3. To slope back.
    • 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 111:
      His face was a fair weakness, his chin retreated, and his hair lay in crisp, almost flaxen curls on his low forehead; his eyes were rather large, pale blue, and blankly staring.
    a retreating forehead
Antonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Translations edit

Etymology 2 edit

re- +‎ treat

Pronunciation edit

Verb edit

retreat (third-person singular simple present retreats, present participle retreating, simple past and past participle retreated)

  1. Alternative spelling of re-treat

Further reading edit

Anagrams edit

Norwegian Bokmål edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from English retreat. Doublet of retrett.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

retreat m (definite singular retreaten, indefinite plural retreater, definite plural retreatene)

  1. a period of meditation, prayer or study; retreat
  2. a location for such activities

Usage notes edit

  • Prior to the 2005 spelling reform, this noun was considered grammatically neuter.

References edit

Norwegian Nynorsk edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from English retreat. Doublet of retrett.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

retreat m (definite singular retreaten, indefinite plural retreatar, definite plural retreatane)

  1. a period of meditation, prayer or study; retreat
  2. a location for such activities

Usage notes edit

  • Prior to a revision made alongside the 2005 Bokmål spelling reform, this noun was considered grammatically neuter.

References edit