Adjacent Words

Retract definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RETRACT', v.t. [L. retractus, retraho; re and traho, to draw.]
1. To recall, as a declaration, words or saying; to disavow; to recant; as, to retract an accusation, charge or assertion.
I would as freely have retracted the charge of idolatry, as I ever made it.
2. To take back; to rescind. [Little used.]
3. To draw back, as claws.
RETRACT', v.t. To take back; to unsay; to withdraw concession or declaration.
She will, and she will not; she grants, denies, consents, retracts, advances, and then flies.
RETRACT', n. Among horsemen, the prick of a horse's foot in nailing a shoe.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure; "He retracted his earlier statements about his religion"; "She abjured her beliefs" [syn: abjure, recant, forswear, retract, resile]
2: pull away from a source of disgust or fear [syn: shrink back, retract]
3: use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ) [syn: retract, pull back, draw back]
4: pull inward or towards a center; "The pilot drew in the landing gear"; "The cat retracted his claws" [syn: draw in, retract]

Merriam Webster's

verb Etymology: Middle English, from Latin retractus, past participle of retrahere — more at retreat Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to draw back or in <cats retract their claws> 2. a. take back, withdraw <retract a confession> b. disavow intransitive verb 1. to draw or pull back 2. to recant or disavow something Synonyms: see abjure, recede • retractable adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 tr. (also absol.) withdraw or revoke (a statement or undertaking). 2 a tr. & intr. (esp. with ref. to part of the body) draw or be drawn back or in. b tr. draw (an undercarriage etc.) into the body of an aircraft. Derivatives: retractable adj. retraction n. retractive adj. Etymology: L retrahere or (in sense 1) retractare (as RE-, trahere tract- draw)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Retract Re*tract", v. i. 1. To draw back; to draw up; as, muscles retract after amputation. 2. To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession or a declaration. She will, and she will not; she grants, denies, Consents, retracts, advances, and then files. --Granville.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Retract Re*tract", n. (Far.) The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Retract Re*tract", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Retracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Retracting.] [F. r['e]tracter, L. retractare, retractatum, to handle again, reconsider, retract, fr. retrahere, retractum, to draw back. See Retreat.] 1. To draw back; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can retract its claws; to retract a muscle. 2. Ti withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take back; as, to retract an accusation or an assertion. I would as freely have retracted this charge of idolatry as I ever made it. --Bp. Stillingfleet. 3. To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to revoke. [Obs.] --Woodward. Syn: To recal; withdraw; rescind; revoke; unsay; disavow; recant; abjure; disown.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Retract Re*tract", n. Retreat. [Obs.] --Bacon.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(retracts, retracting, retracted) 1. If you retract something that you have said or written, you say that you did not mean it. (FORMAL) Mr Smith hurriedly sought to retract the statement, but it had just been broadcast on national radio... He's hoping that if he makes me feel guilty, I'll retract. VERB: V n, V • retraction (retractions) Miss Pearce said she expected an unqualified retraction of his comments within twenty four hours. = withdrawal N-COUNT: usu sing 2. When a part of a machine or a part of a person's body retracts or is retracted, it moves inwards or becomes shorter. (FORMAL) Torn muscles retract, and lose strength, structure, and tightness. VERB: V, also V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Withdraw, draw back, draw in. 2. Recall, revoke, recant, abjure, disavow, cancel, take back, withdraw, unsay, disown. 3. Rescind, resume, take back. II. v. n. Take back, unsay.

Moby Thesaurus

abandon, abjure, abolish, abrogate, annul, assert the contrary, back, back down, back out, backwater, belie, cancel, cede, climb down, contest, contradict, contravene, controvert, counter, countermand, counterorder, crawfish out, cringe, cross, deny, disaffirm, disallow, disannul, disavow, disclaim, disgorge, disown, dispense with, dispose of, disprove, dispute, do away with, do without, draw back, draw in, drop, duck, dump, eat crow, eat humble pie, fall back, flinch, forgo, forswear, gainsay, get along without, get rid of, give away, give up, have done with, impugn, invalidate, join issue upon, kiss good-bye, make a sacrifice, make void, not accept, not admit, nullify, oppose, override, overrule, palinode, part with, pull back, pull in, pull out, quitclaim, recall, recant, refuse to admit, refute, relinquish, render up, renege, renounce, repeal, repudiate, rescind, resign, retreat, retrocede, retrograde, reverse, revoke, sacrifice, set aside, shrink, shy, spare, surrender, suspend, swallow, swear off, take, take back, take issue with, throw up, unsay, vacate, void, waive, wince, withdraw, write off, yield