retrospective 
spect + -h'c."] 1. Looking backward; consider- 
ing the past. 
In vain the sage, with retrospective eye, 
Would from the apparent what conclude the why. 
Pope, Moral Essays, i. 99. 
2. In lair, retroactive; affecting matters which 
occurred before it was adopted : as, a retro- 
spective act, law, or statute. In general, a penal 
statute, though expressed absolutely, is construed as ap- 
plying only to offenses committed after it is passed. See 
ex post facto. 
To annul by a retrospective statute patents which in 
Westminster Hall were held to be legally valid would 
have been simply robbery. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xxiii. 
Every statute which takes away or impairs vested rights 
acquired under existing laws, or creates anew obligation, 
imposes a new duty, or attaches a new liability in respect 
to transactions or considerations already pafit, must be 
deemed retrospective. Story. 
3. Capable of being looked back to ; occurring 
in the past ; bygone. 
I have sometimes wondered whether, as the faith of men 
in a future existence grew legs confident, they might not 
be seeking some equivalent in the feeling of a retrospective 
duration, if not their own, at least that of their race. 
Lowell, Harvard Anniversary. 
retrospectively (ret-ro- or re-tro-spek'tiv-li), 
adv. In retrospect ; with reference to or with 
reflection upon the past ; in law, ex post facto. 
The law may have been meant to act retrospectively, to 
prevent a question being raised on the interpellations of 
Bibulus. f'roude, C'tesar, p. 210. 
retrosternal (re-tro-ster'nal), a. [< L. retro, 
back, behind, + NL. sternum, sternum.] Being 
behind the sternum. 
retrotarsal (re-tro-tar'sal), a. [< L. retro, be- 
hind, + NL. tarsus, the cartilage at the edges 
of the eyelids: see tarnaL] Being behind the 
tarsus of the eye. -Retrotarsal fold, the fornlx of 
the conjunctiva. 
retrotracheal (re-tro-tra'ke-al), a. [< L. retro, 
back, behind, + NL. trachea, trachea.] Being 
at the back of the trachea. 
retroussage (re-tro-sazh'), n. [P., < retrousscr, 
turn up: see retrousse.] In the printing of 
etchings, a method of producing effective tone, 
as in foregrounds, skies, or shadows, by skilful 
manipulation of ink in the parts to be treated, 
the ink being brought out from the filled lines, 
after careful wiping of the plate, by " pumping" 
with a soft clotn. 
retrousse (re-tro-sa'), a. [F., pp. of retroug- 
ser, turn up, < re- + trousser, tuck up, turn 
up: see truss.'] Turned up, as the end of a 
nose; pug. 
The four examples of Rehoboam's princes exhibit a more 
delicate and refined profile than any other type before us, 
and one has even a nose slightly retrousse. 
Anthropoloijical Jour., XVII. 239. 
retro-Uterine (re-tro-u'te-rin), a. [= F. retro- 
utirin, < L. retro, back, behind, + uterus, uterus : 
see uterine."] Situated behind the uterus. 
retrovaccinate (re-tro-vak'si-nat), v. t. [< retro- 
+ vaccinate."] 1. To vaccinate (a cow) with hu- 
man virus. 2. To vaccinate with lymph from 
a cow which has been inoculated with vaccine 
matter from a human being. 
retrovaccination (re-tro-vak-si-na'shon), n. [< 
retrovaccinate + -io.~\ 'I . Vaccination of a cow 
with human virus. 2. In med., the act of vac- 
cinating with lymph derived from a cow which 
has previously been inoculated with vaccine 
matter from the human subject; the act of 
passing vaccine matter through a cow. 
retrovaccine (re-tro-vak'sin), n. [< L. retro, 
back, -f E. vaccine?"] The virus produced by 
inoculating a cow with vaccine matter from the 
humau subject. 
retroversion (re-tro-ver'shon), n. [= P. retro- 
version, < L. retrorerstis (retrorsus), turned or 
bent backward, < retro, backward, + versio(n-), 
a turning: see version.] A tilting or turning 
backward: as, retroversion of vertebral pro- 
cesses : especially applied in gynecology to an 
inclination of the uterus backward with the re- 
tention of its normal curve: opposed to ante- 
version. 
retrovert (re-tro-verf), i: t. [< L. retro, back- 
ward, + vertere,'tuin : see verse.] To turn back. 
retrovert (re'tro-vert), . [< retrovert, .] 
1. One who returns to his original creed. 
[Bare.] 
The goats, if they come back to the old sheep-fold, . . . 
are now, in pious phrase, denominated retmverl*. 
F. Hall, Mod. Eng., p. 308. 
2. That which undergoes retroversion, as a part 
or organ of the body. 
retrovision (re-tro-vizh'on), n. [< L. retro, 
backward, -t- risio(n-), vision : see vision.] The 
5130 
act, process, or power of mentally seeing past 
events, especially such as have not come with- 
in one's personal experience or observation. 
[Kare.] 
Clairvoyance or second sight, including prevision and 
rctrovirion. Pop. Set. Mo., XIII. 337. 
retrude (re-trod'), v. t. ; pret. and pp. retruded, 
ppr. retruding. [< L. retrudere, thrust back, < 
re-, back, + trudere, thrust : see threat. Ct. de- 
trude, extrude, intrude, obtrude, protrude.] To 
thrust back. 
The term of latitude is breadthlesse line ; 
A point the line doth manfully retrude 
From infinite processe. 
Dr. H. More, Psychathanasia, II. 11. 6. 
retruset (re-tros'), a. [< L. retrusus, pp. of re- 
trudere, thrust back: see retrude.] Hidden; 
abstruse. 
Let vs enquire no further Into things rctrufc and hid 
than we have authorltie from the sacred Scriptures. 
Heywood, Hierarchy of Angels, p. 50. 
retrusion (re-tro'zhon), n. [< L. retrusus, pp. 
of retrudere, thrust back : see retrude. Ct.tm- 
sion.] The act of retruding, or the state of be- 
ing retruded. 
In virtue of an endless re-motion or retrusion of the con- 
stituent cause. Coleridge. 
rettet, . *. See reft, retf. 
rettery (ret'er-i), n.; pi. retteries (-iz). [< reft 
+ -en/.] A place where flax is retted. 
retti (ret'i), n. pi. [< Hind, ratti, rati.] The 
hard smooth seeds of the red-bead vine, Abrus 
precatorius, used by East Indian jewelers and 
druggists for weights, and forming a standard. 
The weight so named varies in different parts of India 
from less than 2 to nearly 4 troy grains. See Alma. 
retting (ret'ing), n. [Verbal n. of reft, v.] 1. 
The process of steeping flax in open water, or 
its exposure, in thin layers, to dew, in which 
the woody part of the stalk is, by action of 
moisture and air, rendered easily separable 
from the fiber or harl. The principal change which 
the stalk undergoes is the conversion of insoluble pectose 
into soluble pectin, which is measurably removed by the 
water, and insoluble pectic acid, which is retained. Also 
called rotting. 
2. The place where this operation is carried 
on ; a rettery. Ure. 
retund (rf-tund'), r. t. [< L. retundere, beat or 
pound back, blunt, dull (> It. retundere, dull, 
temper, = Sp. Pg. retundir, beat back, even up), 
< re-, back, + tundere, beat, strike. Cf . contund, 
contuse, infuse.] To blunt or turn, as the edge 
of a weapon ; dull. 
This [the skull] is covered with skin and hair, which serve 
... to quench and dissipate the force of any stroke that 
shall be dealt it, and retund the edge of any weapon. 
Ray, Works of Creation. 
return 1 (re-tern'), v. [< ME. returnen, retornen, 
rctourneii, < OF. returner, retorner, retourner, F. 
retourner = Pr. Sp. Pg. retornar = It. ritornare, 
< ML. retornare, turn back, return, < L. re-, back, 
+ tornare, turn: see turn.] I. trans. 1. To turn 
back, (a) To restore to a former position by turning. 
We seeke . . . [the turtles] in the nights, where we 
flnde them on shore, we turne them upon their backs, till 
the next day we fetch them home, for they can never re- 
turne themselves. 
Quoted in Capt. John Smith's Works, II. 273. 
(ft) To fold back ; turn or roll over, as a thing upon itself. 
The attire of masquers was alike in all, . . . the colours 
azure and silver, but returned on the top with a scroll and 
antique dressing of feathers. 
B. Jonson, Masque of Blackness. 
(c) To reverse the position or direction of ; turn backward. 
Then dead through great affright 
They both nigh were, and each bad other flye : 
Both fled attonce, ne ever backe retourned eye. 
Spenser, F. Q., II. Hi. 19. 
2. To cast back; reflect; reecho. 
In our passage we went by that famous bridge over ye 
Marne, where that renowned echo returnes the voice of a 
good singer 9 or 10 times. Evelyn, Diary, March 1, 1644. 
Long Chancery-lane retentive rolls the sound, 
And courts to courts return it round and round. 
Pope, Dunciad, it 264. 
3f. To turn over; revolve. 
Retournynge in hir soule ay up and doun 
The wordes of this sodeyn Diomede. 
Chaucer, Troilus, v. 1023. 
4. To send back; cause to go back to a former 
place. 
Returninge\\is shyppes towarde the West, he [Columbus] 
found a more holesome ayre, and (as God woulde) came at 
the length to a lande well inhabyted. 
A Eden, tr. of Sebastian .Munster (First Books on 
[America, ed. Arber, p. 35). 
Say that Marcius 
Return me, as Cominius is retum'd, 
I'nheard ; what then? Shak., Cor., v. 1. 42. 
Cyrus, with relenting pity mov'd, 
Return'd them happy to the land they lov'd. 
Cmcper, Expostulation. 1. 76. 
return 
5f. To take with one when going back ; bring 
or carry back. 
The commodities which they returned, backe were Silks, 
Chainlets, Rubarbe, Malmesies, Muskadels, and other 
wines. Hakluyt's Voyages, II. 96. 
6. To give back ; restore. 
If she will return me my jewels, I will give over my suit, 
and repent my unlawful solicitation. 
Shak., Othello, iv. 2. 200. 
Restore, restore Eurydice to life ; 
Oh take the husband, or return the wife ! 
Pope, Ode for Music. 
7. To give in repayment, requital, or recom- 
pense; make a return of: as, to return good 
for evil. 
The Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own 
head. i Ki. ii. 44. 
When, for some trifling present, you have bid me 
Return so much, I have shook my head and wept. 
Shak., T. of A., 11. 2. 146. 
Thanks, 
The slightest, easiest, readiest recompense 
From them who could return him nothing else. 
Milton, P. R., ill. 129. 
8. To make a return for ; repay ; requite : as, 
to return kindness by ingratitude; to return a 
loan; to return a call. 9. To give back in re- 
sponse ; reply. 
The Dauphin, whom of succours we entreated, 
Returns us that his powers are not yet ready 
To raise so great a siege. Shale., Hen. V., ill. 3. 46. 
It was three moneths after ere hee returned vs any an- 
swer. Quoted in Capt. John Smith's Works, II. 14. 
All the host of hell 
With deafening shout retum'd them loud acclaim. 
Milton, F. L., 11. 620. 
Bat Death returns an answer sweet : 
"My sudden frost was sudden gain." 
Tennyson, In Memoriam, Ixxxi. 
10. To retort. 
Even in his throat unless it be the king- 
That calls me traitor, I return the lie. 
5Ao*., Pericles, ii. 5. 57. 
If you are a malicious reader, you return upon me that 
I affect to be thought more impartial than I am. Dryden. 
11. To bring back and make known; report, 
tell, or communicate. 
And Moses returned the words of the people unto the 
Lord. Ex. xix. 8. 
Let the trumpets sound 
While we return these dukes what we decree. 
Shak., Rich. II., i. 3. 122. 
12. To report officially; render as an official 
statement or account: as, to return a list of 
killed and wounded after a battle. 
The borough members were often returned by the same 
sealers as the knights of the shire : not that they were 
chosen by them, but that the return was certified by 
their authority. Stubbs, Const. Hist., f 421. 
13. In law, to bring or send back, as a process 
or other mandate, to the tribunal whence it is- 
sued, with a short statement (usually indorsed 
on the process) by the officer to whom it is- 
sued, and who returns it, stating what he has 
done under it, or why he has done nothing: 
as, to return an execution non est inyentus ; to 
return a commission with the depositions taken 
under it. The return is now usually made by filing 
the paper in the clerk's office, instead of by presenting it 
on a general return-day in open court, 
14. To send; transmit; convey; remit. 
Instead of a ship, he should levy money and return the 
same to the treasurer for His Majesty's use. Clarendon. 
15. To elect as a member of Congress or of 
Parliament. 
Upon the election of a new Parliament . . . Boling- 
1 n iik r was not returned. Goldsmith, Bolingbroke. 
In fact, only one papist had been returned to the Irish 
Parliament since the Restoration. 
Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. 
16. To yield; give a return or profit of. 
I more then wonder they hane not flue hundred Sal- 
uages to worke for them towards their generall mainte- 
nance, and as many more to returne some content and 
satisfaction to the Aduenturers. 
Capt. John Smith, Works, II. 107. 
17. In card-playing, to lead back, as a suit pre- 
viously led ; respond to by a similar lead : as, 
to return a lead or a suit. 
At the end of every hand, Miss Bolo would inquire . . . 
why Mr. Pickwick had not returned that diamond or led 
the club. Dickens, Pickwick, xxxv. 
= Syn. Return, Restore (see restore!), render. 
II. in trans. If. To turn back. 
The Saisnes were grete and stronge, and bolde and 
hardy, and full of grete prowesse, and often thei returned 
vpon hem that hem pursued. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 597. 
2. To come back ; come or go back to a former 
place or position : as, to return home. 
As water that doun renneth ay f 
But never droppe returne may. 
Rom. of the Rote, \. 884. 
