RETREAT

I. noun Etymology: Middle English retret, from Anglo-French retrait, from past participle of retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere, from re- + trahere to draw Date: 14th century 1. a. an act or process of withdrawing especially from what is difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable, the process of receding from a position or state attained , b. the usually forced withdrawal of troops from an enemy or from an advanced position, a signal for ~ing, c. a signal given by bugle at the beginning of a military flag-lowering ceremony, a military flag-lowering ceremony, a place of privacy or safety ; refuge , a period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a director , II. verb Date: 15th century intransitive verb to make a ~ ; withdraw , to slope backward, transitive verb to draw or lead back ; remove , see: recede ~er noun