— 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 retrait, n. use of ptp. of retraire to draw back retrahere ( re- RE- + trahere to draw; see RETRACT 1 ); (v.) late ME retreten retraitier retractare to RETRACT 2 ]
Syn. 2. departure, withdrawal. 3. shelter. 9. leave, pull back. See depart .
Ant. 1, 9, 10. advance.