Definitions for retreat
rɪˈtritre·treat

Princeton's WordNet(4.50 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. retreatnoun

   (military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat

   "the disorderly retreat of French troops"

2. retreatnoun

   a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet

3. retreatnoun

   (military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous position

4. retreatnoun

   (military) a bugle call signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset

5. hideaway, retreatnoun

   an area where you can be alone

6. retirement, retreatnoun

   withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation

   "the religious retreat is a form of vacation activity"

7. retreatverb

   the act of withdrawing or going backward (especially to escape something hazardous or unpleasant)

8. withdraw, retreat, pull away, draw back, recede, pull back, retire, move backverb

   pull back or move away or backward

   "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb"

9. retreatverb

   move away, as for privacy

   "The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer"

10. retrograde, retreatverb

    move back

    "The glacier retrogrades"

11. retreat, pull back, back out, back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, withdrawverb

    make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity

    "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"; "He backed out of his earlier promise"; "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. retreatnoun

   The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant.

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

2. retreatnoun

   The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position.

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

3. retreatnoun

   A peaceful, quiet place affording privacy, or security.

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

4. retreatnoun

   A period of retirement, seclusion, or solitude.

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

5. retreatnoun

   A period of meditation, prayer or study

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

6. retreatnoun

   Withdrawal by military force from a dangerous position or from enemy attack.

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

7. retreatnoun

   A signal for a military withdrawal.

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

8. retreatnoun

   A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base.

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

9. retreatnoun

   A military ceremony to lower the flag.

   Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

10. retreatverb

    To withdraw military forces.

    Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

11. retreatnoun

    Move (a piece) from threatetned position.

    Etymology: From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret (to draw back), from Latin retrahere (retract).

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Retreatnoun

   the act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable

2. Retreatnoun

   the place to which anyone retires; a place or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum

3. Retreatnoun

   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

4. Retreatnoun

   the withdrawing of a ship or fleet from an enemy for the purpose of avoiding an engagement or escaping after defeat

5. Retreatnoun

   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

6. Retreatnoun

   a special season of solitude and silence to engage in religious exercises

7. Retreatnoun

   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

8. Retreatverb

   to make a retreat; to retire from any position or place; to withdraw; as, the defeated army retreated from the field

Freebase(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Retreat

   The meaning of a spiritual retreat can be different for different religious communities. Spiritual Retreats are an integral part of many Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Sufi communities. In Hinduism and Buddhism, Meditative Retreats are seen by some as integral for reconnection to one's self. Retreats are also popular in Christian churches, and were established in today's form by St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius was later to be made patron saint of spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922. Many Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox Christians partake in and organize spiritual retreats each year. Meditative retreats are an important practice in Sufism, the mystical path of Islam. The Sufi teacher Ibn Arabi's book Journey to the Lord of Power is a guide to the inner journey that was published over 700 years ago.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Retreat

   rē-trēt′, n. a drawing back or retracing one's steps: retirement: place of privacy: withdrawal: a place of security: a shelter: (mil.) the act of retiring in order from before the enemy, or from an advanced position: the signal for retiring from an engagement or to quarters: a special season of religious meditation.—v.i. to draw back: to recede: to consider: to retire, esp. to a place of shelter: to retire before an enemy or from an advanced position: in fencing, to move back so as to avoid the point of the adversary's sword: to slope back, as a retreating forehead.—ns. Retreat′er; Retreat′ment. [O. Fr. retrete—L. retractus, pa.p. of retrahĕre.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. retreat

   The order in which a fleet or squadron declines engagement. Or the retrograde movement of any body of men who retire from a hostile force. Also, that beat of drum about sunset which orders the guards and piquets to take up their night duties.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. retreat

   The retrograde movement of any army or body of men who retire from the enemy. It signifies a more prolonged and systematic movement to the rear than retire. Full retreat is when an army retires with all expedition before a conquering enemy. The retreat is also a beat of the infantry drums, or sounding of the bugles or trumpets, which takes place every day at sunset, and at which troops fall in and the roll is called; the details for duty the following day, and orders, are published. To retreat is to make a retrograde movement. An army or body of men are said to retreat when they turn their backs upon the enemy, or are retiring from the ground they occupied; hence, every march in withdrawing from an enemy is called a retreat.

Matched Categories

1. • Area
   • Bugle Call
   • Military
   • Move
   • Recede
   • Signal
   • Withdrawal

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'retreat' in Nouns Frequency: #2883

Anagrams for retreat »

1. tree rat

2. treater

How to pronounce retreat?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say retreat in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of retreat in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of retreat in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of retreat in a Sentence

1. Garrett Fugate:

   When I was coming out I went from being very accepted to being very ostracized from the Muslim community, when I think of community I think of that retreat.

2. Fiorello LaGuardia, New York City Mayor:

   It makes no difference if I burn my bridges behind me - I never retreat.

3. House Republican:

   This murderous attack offers the clearest possible reminder that terrorists will not stop fighting the United States just because our politicians grow tired of fighting them, i remain concerned that terrorists worldwide will be emboldened by our retreat, by this attack, and by the establishment of a radical Islamic terror state in Afghanistan.

4. Claudia Mo:

   If she refuses to withdraw, to scrap this controversial bill altogether, it would mean that we wouldn't retreat. She stays on. We stay on, carrie Lam has lost all credibility among the Hong Kong people. Carrie Lam must step down.

5. Rick Scott:

   Vice President Pence said in Fort Myers. The president monitored Irma over this past weekend from Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. Nearly half of Florida was engulfed by Irma, which left flooded streets, damaged homes and displaced residents in its wake. Florida's southwestern coast is a haven for retirees seeking warm weather and beautiful sunsets across the Gulf of Mexico. Many communities are still cleaning up or without power or air conditioning. In Lee County, which includes Cape Coral and Fort Myers, the Florida Emergency Management Agency said 66 percent of the area's 290,000 electrical customers were still without power Wednesday. Widespread outages led to long lines outside of the relatively few stores, gas stations and restaurants that had reopened. The situation was even worse to the south in Collier County, home to Naples. Days after Irma passed, almost 80 percent of homes and businesses were still without electricity, and floodwaters still covered some communities entirely. As of Thursday morning, the number of homes and businesses without electricity in Florida was 2.69 million, according to the agency. That's 25.6 percent of all customers in the state. We are working hard to get power back on. Our utilities have restored over 4-million homes already.

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