"retreat" in the noun sense

1. retreat

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. retreat

a place of privacy a place affording peace and quiet

3. retreat

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

4. retreat

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

5. hideaway, retreat

an area where you can be alone

6. retirement, retreat

withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation

"the religious retreat is a form of vacation activity"

7. retreat

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

"retreat" in the verb sense

1. withdraw, retreat, pull away, draw back, recede, pull back, retire, move back

pull back or move away or backward

"The enemy withdrew"

"The limo pulled away from the curb"

2. retreat

move away, as for privacy

"The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer"

3. retrograde, retreat

move back

"The glacier retrogrades"

4. retreat, pull back, back out, back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, withdraw

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"

Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)

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