retrieve 
I'll . . . gloriously retrieve 
My youth from Its enforced calamity. 
llrouHiiny, In a Balcony. 
That which was lost might quickly be retrieved. 
Crabbe, Works, VIII. 82. 
2. Specifically, in hunting, to search for and 
fetch: as, a dog retrieves killed or wounded 
birds or other game to the sportsman. 3. To 
bring back to a state of well-being, prosperity, 
or success; restore; reestablish: as, to retrieve 
one's credit. 
Just Published. The Old and True Way of Manning the 
Fleet, Or how to Retrieve the Glory of the English Arms 
by Sea, as it is done by Land ; and to have Seamen always 
in readiness, without Pressing. 
Quoted in Ashton's Social Life In Reign of Queen Anne, 
[II. 20i). 
Not only had the poor orphan retrieved the fallen for- 
tunes of his line. Not only had he repurchased the old 
lands, and rebuilt the old dwelling. He had preserved 
and extended an empire. Macaulay, Warren Hastings. 
Melendez, who desired an opportunity to retrieve his 
honor, was constituted hereditary governor of a territory 
of almost unlimited extent. Bancroft, Hist. U. 8., I. 57. 
4. To make amends for; repair; better; ame- 
liorate. 
What ill news can come . . . which doth not relate to 
the badness of our circumstances? and those, I thank 
heaven, we have now a fair prospect of retrieving. 
Fielding, Amelia, fv. 6. 
II. intrans. To find, recover, or restore any- 
thing; specifically, in sporting, to seek and 
bring killed or wounded game : as, the dog re- 
trieves well. 
Virtue becomes a sort of retrieving, which the thus im- 
proved human animal practices by a perfected and inher- 
ited habit, regardless of self-gratification. 
Mivart, Nature and Thought, p. 149. 
retrievet (re-treV), n. [Also retrief; < retrieve, 
r.] A seeking again ; a discovery; a recovery ; 
specifically, in hunting, the recovery of game 
once sprung. 
We'll have a flight at Mortgage, Statute, Bond, 
And hard but we 11 bring Wax to the retrieve. 
B. Jonson, Staple of News, ill. 1. 
Divers of these sermons did presume on the help of 
your noble wing, when they first ventured to fly abroad. 
In their retrief, or second Jliulit, being now sprung up 
again in greater number, they humbly beg the same 
favour. Rev. T. Adams, Works, I. xiii. 
retrievement (re-trev'ment), n. [< retrieve + 
-ment.] The act of retrieving, or the state of 
being retrieved, recovered, or restored; re- 
trieval. 
Whether the seeds of all sciences, knowledge, and rea- 
son were inherent in pre-existency, wliich are now ex- 
cited and stirred up to act by the suggestion, ministry, 
and retreivement of the senses. 
Evelyn, True Religion, I. 239. 
retriever (re-tre'ver), n. 1. One who retrieves 
or recovers. 
Machiavel. the sole retriever of this antient prudence, 
Is to his solid reason a beardless boy that has newly read 
Livy. J. Harrington, Oceana (ed. 1771), p. 49. 
2. Specifically, a dog trained to seek and bring 
to hand game which a sportsman has shot, or 
a dog that takes readily to this kind of work. 
Retrievers are generally cross-bred, a large kind much in 
use being the progeny of the Newfoundland dog and the 
setter ; a smaller kind is a cross between the spaniel and 
the terrier. Almost any dog can be trained to retrieve; 
most setters and pointers are so trained, and the term is 
not the name of any particular breed. 
Retrieving is certainly in some degree Inherited by re- 
trievers. Encyc. Brit., XIII. 159. 
retriment (ret'ri-ment), 11. [< L. retrimentiim, 
refuse, dregs, sediment of pressed olives, < re-, 
again, + terere (pret. tri-ri, pp. tritus), rub: 
see (rite. Cf. detriment.'] Refuse; dregs. Imp. 
Diet. 
retro- (re'tro or ret'ro). [= F. retro- = Sp. Pg. 
It. retro-, < L. retro-, retro, backward, back, be- 
hind, formerly, < re- or red-, back (see re-), + 
-tro, abl. of a compar. suffix (as in ultra, citro, 
intro, etc.), = E. -tlter in nether, etc. Hence 
ult. rear 3 .] A prefix of Latin origin, meaning 
'back' or 'backward,' 'behind': equivalent to 
post-, and the opposite of ante- (also of pre- or 
pro-) with reference to place or position, rare- 
ly to time; sometimes also equivalent to re- 
and opposed to pre- or pro-. It corresponds to 
opistho- in words from the Greek. 
retroact (re-tro-akf), v. i. [< L. retroactus, pp. 
of retroagere, drive, turn back (> F. retroagir), 
< retro, backward, + agere, do: see act.] To 
act backward ; have a backward action or in- 
fluence; hence, to act upon or affect what is 
past. Imp. Diet. 
retroaction (re-tro-ak'shon), . [= F. retro- 
action = Sp. retroaccion = Pg. retroacc,ao = It. 
retroazione; as retroact + -ion.'] Action which 
is opposed or contrary to the preceding action ; 
retrospective reference. 
5128 
retroactive (re-tro-ak'tiv), a. [= F. retroactif 
= Sp. Pg. retroact'iro = It. n-trou ttico; as retro- 
nct + -ire.'] Retroacting; having a reversed 
or retrospective action ; operative with respect 
to past circumstances ; holding good for pre- 
ceding cases. 
If Congress had voted an increase of salary for its suc- 
cessor, it was said, the act would have been seemly : but 
to vote an increase for itself, and to make it retroactive, 
was sheer shameless robbery. 
Uarper'a May., LXXIX. 148. 
Retroactive law or statute, a law or statute which 
operates, or if enforced would operate, to make criminal 
or punishable or otherwise affect acts done prior to the 
passing of the law ; a retrospective law. Compare ex post 
facto. 
retroactively (re-tro-ak'tiv-li), a. In a retro- 
active manner; with reversed or retrospective 
action. 
retrpbulbar (re-tro-bul'bS.r), a. [< L. retro, 
behind, + bulbus, bulb, + -ar s .] Being behind 
the eyeball; retroBcular Retrobulbar neuritis, 
inflammation of the optic nerve behind the eyeball. 
Retrobulbar perlneuritis, inflammation of the sheath 
of the optic nerve behind the eyeball. 
retrocede (re-tro-sed ), v.; pret. and pp. retro- 
ceded, ppr. retroceding. [< F. retrocfaer = Sp. 
Pg. retroceder = It. retrocedere, < L. retrocedere, 
pp. retrocessus, go back, < retro, back, + cedere, 
go: see cede."] I. intrants. To go back; recede; 
retire; give place. Blount, Glossographia. 
II. trans. To cede or grant back ; restore to 
the former possession or control: as, to retro- 
cede territory. [Rare.] 
Jackson . . . always believed . . . that Texas was not 
properly retroceded to Spain by the Florida treaty. 
The Century, XXVIII. 503. 
retrocedent (re-tro-se'dent), a. [= F. retroce- 
dant, < L. retroceden(t-)s, ppr. of retrocedere, go 
back: see retrocede.] Relapsing; going back. 
retrocession (re-tro-sesh'on), . [< F. retro- 
cession = Sp. retrocesion = Pg.retrocessSo = It. 
retrocessione, < LL. retrocession-), < L. retroce- 
dere, pp. retrocessus, go backward : see retro- 
cede.'] 1. A going back or inward ; relapse. 
These transient and involuntary excursions and retro- 
cessionsof invention, having some appearance of deviation 
from the common train of nature, are eagerly caught by 
the lovers of a wonder. Johnson, Milton. 
2. In med., the disappearance or metastasis of 
a tumor, an eruption, etc., from the surface of 
the body inward. Dunglison. 3. A sloping 
backward ; a backward inclination or progres- 
sion ; a retreating outline, form, or position. 
The eye resumed its climbing, going next to the Gentiles' 
Court, then to the Israelites' Court, then to the Women's 
Court,. . . each a pillared tier of white marble, one above 
the other in terraced retrocession. 
L. Wallace, Ben-Hur, vi. 3. 
4. The act of retroceding or giving back ; in 
Scots law, the reconveyance of any right by an 
assignee back to the assignor, who thus recov- 
ers his former right by becoming the assignee 
of his own assignee. 5. In geom., inflection. 
Retrocession of the equinoxes. Same as precession of 
the equinoxes (which see, under precession). 
retrocessional (re-tro-sesh'on-al), a. and . 
[< retrocession + -al.] I. n. Pertaining to or 
involving retrocession; recessional: as, retro- 
cessional motion ; a retrocessional hymn. 
II. n. Same as recessional. 
retrochoir (re'tro-kwir), i. [< retro- + cfioir, 
after ML. retrocfiorus, < L. retro, back, behind, 
+ chorus, choir: see choir.] In arch., that part 
of the interior of a church or cathedral which 
is behind or beyond the choir, or between the 
choir and the lady-chapel. 
The statue of his successor, Nicholas IV. (1288-129-2), 
who was buried in the Lateran, may be seen in the retro- 
choir. C. C. Perkins, Italian Sculpture, Int., p. liv. 
retroclusipn (re-tro-klo'zhon), 71. [< L. retro, 
back, behind, + -clusio(n-),'in comp.,< clauderc, 
pp. claiisus, in comp. -clusus, close: see close 1 .'] 
A method of acupressure in which the pin is 
passed into the tissue, over the artery, then, 
turning in a semicircle, is brought out behind 
the artery, the point of the pin coming out near 
its entrance. 
retrocollic (re-tro-kol'ik), a. [< L. retro, back, 
behind, + collum, neck: see collar.'] Pertain- 
ing to the back of the neck Retrocollic spasm, 
spasm of the muscles on the back of the neck, tonic or 
clonic. 
retrocopulant (re-tro-kop'u-lant), a. [< L. re- 
tro, back, behind, + ' copuldn(i-)s, ppr. of copn- 
lare, copulate : see copulate.'] Copulating back- 
ward or from behind. 
retrocopulate (re-tro-kop'u-lat), v. i. [< L. re- 
tro, back, behind, + copulatus, pp. of eopvlare, 
copulate : see copulate.] To copulate from be- 
hind or aversely and without ascension, as va- 
retrograde 
rious quadrupeds the male of which faces in the 
opposite direction from the female during the 
act. 
retrocopulation (re-tro-kop-u-la'shon), 71. [< 
rctroco/iulatc + -ion.'] The act of copulating 
from behind or aversely. 
Now, from the nature of this position, there ensneth a 
necessity of retriwipittatwn, wliich also promoteth the con- 
ceit I that hares are hermaphrodite]: for some observing 
them to couple without ascension, have not been able to 
judge of male or female, or to determine the proper sex in 
either. Sir T. Brmcne, Vulg. Err., 111. 17. 
retrocurved (re'tro-kervd), . [< retro- + 
cnn-e + -erf 2 .] Same as recurved. 
retrodate (re'tro-dat), v. t. [< retro- + date 1 .'] 
To (late back, as a book ; affix or assign a date 
earlier than that of actual occurrence, appear- 
ance, or publication. Questions of retrodating have 
arisen in regard to scientific publications when priority of 
discovery, etc., has been concerned. 
retrodeviation (re-tro-de-vi-a'shon), n. [< L. 
ri-tm, backward, + ML. deriatio()>-\ deviation: 
see deviation.] A displacement backward, es- 
pecially of the uterus, as a retroflection or a re- 
troversion. 
retroduct (re-tro-dukf), v. t. [< L. retroductus, 
pp. of retrodiicerc, bring back: see retroduc- 
tion.] To lead, bring, or draw back; retract; 
withdraw. 
retroduction (re-tro-duk'shon), . [< L. re- 
troducere, pp. retroductus, bring or draw back, < 
retro, back, -f ducere, lead: see duct.] The act 
of retroducting, drawing back, or retracting. 
retroflected (re'tro-nek-ted), a. [< L. retrofiec- 
tere, bend back (see.retroflex), + -ed 2 .] Same 
as refltxed. 
retroflection, retroflexion (re-tro-flek'shon), n. 
[= F. rctroflexioii ; as retroflex + -ion.] A bend- 
ing backward : especially applied in gynecol- 
ogy to the bending of the body of the'utems 
backward, the vaginal portion being but little 
or not at all changed in position. 
retroflex (re'tro-fleks), a. [< L. retrojlexus, pp. 
of retroflectere, bend back, < retro, back, + 
flectere, bend: see flex 1 .] Same as reflexed. 
retroflexed (re'tro-flekst), a. [< retroflex + 
-C(ft.] Bent backward; exhibiting retroflection. 
retrofract (re'tro-frakt), a. [< L. retro, back, 
+ fractus, pp. of frangere, break : see fragile, 
fraction.] In hot., same as refracted. 
retrofracted (re'tro-frak-ted), a. [< retrofract 
+ -frf 2 .] In l>ot., same as refracted. 
retrogenerative (re-tro-jen'e-ra-tiv), o. [< re- 
tro- + </enertit/re.] Same as retrocopulant. 
Retrograde (re-trog'ra-de), . pi. [NL. (Sun- 
devall, 1823), < L. retrogradi, go backward : see 
retrograde, v.] A group of spiders: same as 
Laterigradse. 
retrogradation (ref'ro- or re"tro-gra-da'shon), 
n. [< OF. retrogradation, F. retrogradation = 
Pr. retrogradacio = Sp. retrogradacion = Pg. re- 
trograda$3o = It. retrognidusione, < LL. retro- 
gradatio(n-), a going back, < retrogradare, pp. 
retrogradatus, a later form of L. retrogradi, 
go backward: see retrograde.] 1. The act of 
retrograding or moving backward ; specifically, 
in astron., the act of moving from east to west 
relatively to the fixed stars, or contrary to the 
order of the signs and the usual direction of 
planetary motion : applied to the apparent mo- 
tion of the planets. Also retrogression. 
Planets . . . have their stations and retrogradations, as 
well as their direct motion. 
Cudworth, Sermons, p. 68. (Latham.) 
2. The act of going backward or losing ground ; 
hence, a decline in strength or excellence; de- 
terioration. 
retrograde (ret'ro- or re'tro-grad), v. [< OF. 
relrograder, recoil, F. retrogradcr = Pr. Sp. 
Pg. retrogradar = It. retrogradare, < LL. retro- 
gradare, later form of L. retrogradi, go back- 
ward, < retro, backward, + gradi, go : see 
grade 1 .] I. intrans. 1. To go backward ; move 
backward. 
Sir William Fraser says that the duke engaged a horse 
from Pucrow's Amphitheatre, which was taught to retro- 
grade with proper dignity. A", and Q., 7th ser., VII. 264. 
2. To fall back or away; lose ground; decline; 
deteriorate; degenerate. 
After his death, our literature retrograded: and a cen- 
tury was necessary to bring it back to the point at which 
he left it Macaulay, Dryden. 
Every thing retrograded with him [Dunover] towards 
the verge of the miry slough of Despond, which yawns 
for insolvent debtors. Scott, Heart of Mid-Lothian, i. 
3. In astron., to move westward relatively to 
the fixed stars. 4. In liol., to undergo retro- 
gression, as a plant or an animal; be retro- 
