retractation 
There are perhaps no contracts or engagements, except 
those that relate to money or money's worth, of which 
one can venture to say that there ought to be no liberty 
whatever of retractation. J. S. Mill, On Liberty, v. 
retracted (re-trak'ted), p. it. 1. lu her., couped 
by a line diagonal to their main direction : said 
of ordinaries or subordinates : thus, three bars 
or pales are retracted when cut off bendwise or 
bendwise sinister. 2. In entom., permanently 
received or contained in a hollow of another 
part. 3. In bot., drawn back, as (sometimes) 
the radicle between the cotyledons; bent back. 
[Rare or obsolete.] Retracted abdomen, an abdo- 
men nearly hidden in the thorax or cephalothorax, as in 
the harvest-spiders. Retracted head, a head, concealed 
in the thorax as far as the front, which cannot be pro- 
truded at will. Retracted mouth, a mouth in which the 
trophi cannot be extended, as in most beetles : correlated 
with retractile mouth. = Sy n. See retractile. 
retractibility (re-trak-ti-bil'i-ti), TO. [< retrac- 
tible + -itu (see -hility).] Same as retractability. 
retractible (re-trak'ti-bl), a. [< F. retractable; 
as retract + -ible. Cf. retractable.] Same as 
retractable. 
retractile (re-trak'til), a. [= P. retractile; as 
retract + -He.] 1. Retractable; capable of be- 
ing retracted, drawn back, or drawn in after 
protraction or protrusion : correlated with pro- 
tractile or protrusile, of which it is the opposite : 
as, the retractile claws of felines : the retractile 
head of a tortoise ; the retractile horns or feel- 
ers of a snail : especially applied in entomology 
to parts, as legs or antennas, which fold down 
or back into other parts which are hollowed to 
receive them. 
Asterias, sea-star, covered with a coriaceous coat, fur- 
nished with five or more rays and numerous retractile 
tentacula. Pennant, British Zool. (ed. 1777), IV. 60. 
The pieces in a telescope are retractile within each other. 
Kirby and Spence, Entomology, I. 151. (Davies.) 
2. Retractive. 
Cranmer himself published his Defence of the True and 
Catholic Doctrine of the Sacrament : a long treatise, with 
a characteristically retractile title. 
R. W. Dizon, Hist. Church of Eng., xvii. 
Retractile cancer, mammary cancer with retraction of 
the nipple. =Syn. 1. Retracted, Retractile. A retracted part 
is permanently drawn in or back, and fixed in such posi- 
tion that it cannot be protracted or protruded. A retrac- 
tile part is also protractile or protrusile, and capable of 
retraction when it has been protracted. 
retractility (re-trak-til'i-ti), n. [= F. retrae- 
tilite; as retractile + -itij.] The quality of be- 
ing retractile ; susceptibility of retraction. 
retraction (re-trak'shon), n. [< OF. retraction, 
F. retraction '= Sp. retraccion = Pg. retracc^So 
= It. retrazione, < L. retractio(n-), a drawing 
back, diminishing, < retrahere, pp. retractus, 
drawback: see retract.'] 1. The act of retract- 
ing, or the state of being retracted or drawn 
back: as, the retraction of a cat's claws. 2t. 
A falling back ; retreat. 
They make bold with the Deity when they make him do 
and undo, go forward and backwards by such counter- 
marches and retractions as we do not impute to the Al- 
mighty. Woodward. 
3. The act of undoing or unsaying something 
previously done or said; the act of rescind- 
ing or recanting, as previous measures or 
opinions. 
As soon as you shall do me the favour to make public 
a better notion of certainty than mine, I will by a public 
retraction call in mine. 
Locke, Second Reply to Bp. of Worcester (Works, IV. 344). 
= Syn. 3. See renounce. 
retractive (re-trak'tiv), a. and n. [= F. re- 
tractif = It. ritrattiro; as retract + -ine.] I. 
a. Tending or serving to retract ; retracting. 
II. M. That which draws back or restrains. 
The retractices of bashfulness and a natural modesty . . . 
might have hindered his progression. 
Sir H. Naunton, Fragments Regalia, Lord Mountjoy. 
We could make this use of it to be a strong retractive 
from any, even our dearest and gainfullest, Bins. 
Bp. Hall, Remains, p. 139. 
retractively (re-trak'tiv-li), adv. In a retrac- 
tive manner; by retraction. Imp. Diet. 
retractor (re-trak'tor), . ; pi. retractors or, as 
New Latin, retractores (re-trak-to'rez). [= F. 
retracteur, < NL. retractor, < L. retraliere, pp. re- 
tractus, draw back : see retract."] One who or 
that which retracts or draws back. Specifically 
(a) In anat. and tool. , a muscle which draws an organ back- 
ward, or withdraws a protruded part, as that of the eye or 
ear of various animals, of the foot of a mollusk, etc. : the 
opposite of protractor. See retrahens. (I) In sura. : (I) A 
Siece of cloth used in amputation for drawing back the 
ivided muscles, etc., in order to keep them out of the way 
of the saw. (2) An instrument used to hold back some por- 
tion of tissue during an operation or examination, (c) In 
firearms, a device by which the metallic cartridge-cases 
employed in breech-loading guns are withdrawn after fir- 
ing. Retractor bulbl, or retractor ocull, the retractor 
muscle of the eyeball of various animals. See clioanmriem. 
5126 
Retractores uteri, small bundles of non-striped mus- 
cle passing from the uterus to the sacrum within the re- 
tro-uterine folds. 
retrad (re'trad), adv. [< L. retro, backward (see 
retro-), + -on? 3 .] In anat., backward; posteri- 
orly; retrorsely; caudad: opposite of prorsad. 
retrabens (re'tra-henz), . ; pi. retralientes (re- 
tra-hen'tez). [NL., sc. mttsculus, a muscle: 
see retrahent.] In anat., a muscle which draws 
or tends to draw the human ear backward ; one 
or two fleshy slips arising from the mastoid and 
inserted into the auricle: the opposite of at- 
trahens: more fully called retrahens aurem, re- 
trahens auris, or retraliens auriculam. See cut 
under muscle^. Retrahentes costarum, an exten- 
sive series of small oblique costovertebral muscles in liz- 
ards, etc., which draw the ribs backward. 
retrahent (re'tra-hent), a. [< L. retrahen(t-)s, 
ppr. of retrahere, drawback: see retract.] Draw- 
ing backward; retracting; having the function 
of a retrahens, as a muscle. 
retrabentes, . Plural of retrahem. 
retraictt, . See retraitf. 
retrairt, [ME., < OF. retrain, draw back: 
see retray.] Retreat ; withdrawal. 
At Montflarrant bide la my hole plesaunce, 
Ther become hermlte with-out any retrayr, 
To Goddis honour and serulce repair. 
Rom, of Partenay (E. E. T. 8.), 1. 5149. 
retraitM, An obsolete form of retreafl. 
retrait 1 *, a. [< OF. retrait, < L. retractus, pp. of 
retra liere, draw back : see retract, retreat 1 .] Re- 
tired. 
Some of their lodgings so obscure and retrayte as none 
but a priest or a devil could ever have sented It out. 
Harsnett's Decl. of Popith Impostures, sig. I. S. (Hares.) 
retrait 2 t (re-traf), n. [Also retrate; < Sp. Pg. 
retrato = It. retra tto, a picture, effigy, < ML. *re- 
tractum, a picture, portrait, neut. of L. retrac- 
tus, pp. of retrahere, draw back (ML. draw, por- 
tray) : see retract, retray. Cf . retreat 1 and por- 
trait.'] A drawing; picture; portrait; hence, 
countenance; aspect. 
Shee Is the mighty Queene of Faery 
Whose faire retrain I in my shield doe beare. 
Spenser, F. Q., II. it 4. 
More to let you know 
How pleasing this retrait of peace doth seem, 
Till I return from Palestine again, 
Be you joint governors of this my realm. 
Webster and DtUter (T), Weakest Goeth to the Wall, i. 1. 
retral (re'tral), a. [< L. retro, backward, + -al.~] 
Back ; hind or hinder ; retrorse ; posterior ; cau- 
dal: the opposite ofprorsal. 
The furrows between the retral processes of the next 
segment W. B. Carpenter, Micro*., < 487. 
retranchl (re-tron-sha'), a. [F., pp. of retran- 
cher, cut off: see retrench.] In her., divided 
bendwise twice or into three parts: said of the 
field. Compare tranche. 
retransfer (re-trans-fer'), r. t. [< re- + trans- 
fer.] 1. To transfer back to a former place 
or condition. 2. To transfer a second time. 
retransfer (re-trans'fer), . [< retransfer, v.] 
1. A transfer back to a previous place or con- 
dition. 
It is by no means clear that at the next election there 
will not be a retransfer of such votes as did go over, and, 
in addition, such a number of Conservative abstentions 
as will give Mr. Gladstone a large majority. 
Contemporary Rev., LJII. 147. 
2. A second transfer. 
If the retransfer has been perfectly done, the attach- 
ment of the print to the paper will be so strong that they 
cannot be separated (unless wet) without the face of the 
paper tearing. Silver Sunbeam, p. 342. 
retransform (re-trans-form'), r. t. [< re- + 
transform.] 1. To transform or change back 
to a previous state. 
A certain quantity of heat may be changed into a defi- 
nite quantity of work ; this quantity of work can also be 
retransformed into heat, and, indeed, into exactly the same 
quantity of heat as that from which it originated. 
Helmholtz, Pop. ScL Lects. (tr. by Atkinson), p. 349. 
2. To transform anew. 
retransfonnation(re-trans-f6r-ma'shon), n. [< 
retransform + -ation.] The act of retransform- 
ing ; transformation back again or anew. 
retranslate (re-trans-laf), v. t. [< re- + trans- 
late.] 1. To translate back into the original 
form or language. 
The " silver-tongued " Mansfield not only translated all 
of Cicero's orations into English, but also retranslated the 
English orations into Latin. 
W. Mathews, Getting on in the World, p. 226 
2. To translate anew or again, 
retranslation (re-trans-la'shon), n. [< retrans- 
late + -ion.] The act or process of retranslat- 
ing; also, what is retranslated. 
The final result of this sympathetic communication is 
the retranslation of the emotion felt by one into similar 
emotions in the others. Pop. Sci. Mo., XXI. 824. 
retreat 
The critical student of Ecclesiasticus can only In occa- 
sional passages expect much help from the projected re- 
translations. The Academy, July 19, 1890, p. 51. 
retransmission (re-trans-mish'on), n. [< re- 
+ transmission.] The act of retransmitting; a 
repeated or returned transmission. 
The transmission and retransmission of electric power. 
Elect. Ret. (Amer.), XV. v. . 
retransmit (re-trans-mif), v. t. [< re- + trtm*- 
mit.] To transmit back or again. 
Will ... [a single] embossing point, upon being passed 
over the record thus made [by indentation], follow it with 
such fidelity as to retransmit to the disk the same variety 
of movement? N. A. Rev., CXXVI. 628. 
retrate 1 *, . An obsolete form of retreat 1 . 
retrate-t, . See retraifi. 
retra verse (re-trav'ers), r. t. [< re- + traverse. ] 
To traverse again. 
But, not to retraverse once-trodden ground, shall we 
laugh or groan at the new proof of the Kantian doctrine of 
the ideality of time? Atheneeum, No. 3208, p. 339. 
Sir Henry Layard declines to retraverse the ground thus 
covered. Quarterly Ren., CXLV. 88. 
retraxit (re-trak'sit), . [< L. retraxit, 3d pers. 
sing. pret. ind. of retraliere, withdraw: see re- 
treat 1 , retract.] In law, the withdrawing or 
open renunciation of a suit in court, by which 
the plaintiff loses his action. Blaclistone. 
retrayt, f. ' [ME. retrayen, < OF. retraire, < L. 
retrahere, drawback, withdraw: see retract, and 
cf. retrait 1 , retreat 1 . For the form, cf. extray, 
portray.] To withdraw ; retire. 
Then euery man retray home. 
English Gilds (E. E. T. S.), p. 422. 
retreat 1 (re-tret'), n. [Early mod. E. also retreit, 
retrait, retraict, retrate; < ME. retrete, retret (= 
Sp. retrete, a closet, retreta, retreat or tattoo, = 
Pg. retrete, a closet, retreat), < OF. retrete, re- 
traite, retraicte, f., retreat, a retreat, a place of 
refuge, F. retraite, retreat, a retreat, recess, 
etc. (OF. also retrait, retraict, m., a retreat, re- 
tired place, also, in law, redemption, withdraw- 
al, F. retrait, in law, redemption, withdrawal, 
also shrinkage), = It. ritratta, a retreat, < ML. 
retracta, a retreat, recess (L. retractus, a draw- 
ing back, ML. retreat, recess, etc.), < L. retrac- 
tus, pp. of retrahere, draw back, withdraw: see 
retract and retray.] 1. The act of retiring or 
withdrawing; withdrawal; departure. 
Into a charabre ther made he retret, 
Hit unshlt entring, the dore after drew. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. 8.), 1. 3944. 
Come, shepherd, let us make an honourable retreat. 
Skak., As you Like it, ill. 2. 170. 
Wisdom's triumph is well-timed retreat, 
As hard a science to the fair as great ! 
Pope, Moral Essays, ii. 226. 
2. Specifically, the retirement, either forced 
or strategical, of an army before an enemy ; 
an orderly withdrawal from action or position : 
distinguished from a, flight, which lacks system 
or plan. 
They . . . now 
To final battel drew, disdaining flight 
Or faint retreat, Milton, P. L., vi. 799. 
3. The withdrawing of a ship or fleet from ac- 
tion; also, the order or disposition of ships de- 
clining an engagement. 4. A signal given in 
the army or navy, by beat of drum or sound of 
trumpet, at sunset, or for retiring from exer- 
cise, parade, or action. 
Here sound retreat, and cease our hot pursuit. 
Shak., 1 Hen. VI., ii. 2. 3. 
5. Retirement ; privacy ; a state of seclusion 
from society or public life. 
I saw many pleasant and delectable Palaces and ban- 
queting houses, which serve for houses of retraite for the 
Gentlemen of Venice, . . . wherein they solace themselves 
in sommer. Coryat, Crudities, I. 152. 
The retreat, therefore, which I am speaking of is not 
that of monks and hermits, but of men living in the world, 
and going out of it for a time, in order to return into it ; 
it is a temporary, not a total retreat. 
Bp. Atterbury, Sermons, I. x. 
'Tis pleasant, through the loopholes of retreat, 
To peep at such a world ; to see the stir 
Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd. 
Coufer, Task, iv. 88. 
6. Place of retirement or privacy; a refuge; 
an asylum; a place of security or peace. 
Our firesides must be our sanctuaries, our refuges from 
misfortune, our choice retreat from all the world. 
Goldsmith. 
Here shall the shepherd make his seat, 
To weave his crown of flow'rs ; 
Or find a shelt'ring safe retreat 
From prone descending show'rs. 
Burns, Humble Petition of Bruar Water. 
Ah, for some retreat 
Deep in yonder shining Orient. 
Tennyson, Locksley Hall. 
