/ rɪˈtriːt; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
FROM DANGER / DEFEAT
1.
[ v ] to move away from a place or an enemy because you are in danger or because you have been defeated :
The army was forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses.
We retreated back down the mountain.
OPP advance
MOVE AWAY / BACK
2.
[ v ] to move away or back
SYN recede :
He watched her retreating figure.
The flood waters slowly retreated.
CHANGE DECISION
3.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to change your mind about sth because of criticism or because a situation has become too difficult
SYN back off :
The government had retreated from its pledge to reduce class sizes.
TO QUIET PLACE
4.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] to escape to a place that is quieter or safer
SYN retire :
Bored with the conversation, she retreated to her bedroom.
( figurative )
He retreated into a world of fantasy.
FINANCE
5.
[ vn ] to lose value :
Share prices retreated 45p to 538p.
■ noun
FROM DANGER / DEFEAT
1.
[ C , usually sing. , U ] a movement away from a place or an enemy because of danger or defeat :
Hitler's retreat from Russia
The army was in full retreat (= retreating very quickly) .
to sound the retreat (= to give a loud signal for an army to move away)
ESCAPE
2.
[ C , usually sing. , U ] retreat (from / into sth) an act of trying to escape from a particular situation to one that you think is safer or more pleasant
SYN escape :
Is watching television a retreat from reality?
CHANGE OF DECISION
3.
[ C , usually sing. ] an act of changing a decision because of criticism or because a situation has become too difficult :
The Senator made an embarrassing retreat from his earlier position.
QUIET PLACE
4.
[ C ] a quiet, private place that you go to in order to get away from your usual life :
a country retreat
5.
[ U , C ] a period of time when sb stops their usual activities and goes to a quiet place for prayer and thought; an organized event when people can do this :
He went into retreat and tried to resolve the conflicts within himself.
to go on a Buddhist retreat
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IDIOMS
see beat verb
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French retret (noun), retraiter (verb), from Latin retrahere pull back, from re- back + trahere drag.