RET 
RETRA'CTIVE, s. That which withdraws or takes 
from.—We could make this use of it, to be a strong retrac¬ 
tive from any, even our dearest and gainfullest, sins. Bp. 
Hall. , „ , 
RETRAHENS AURIS, the retracting muscle of the ear. 
RETRA'ICT, [ retraicte, Fr.] Retreat. Obsolete. — 
The earl of Lincoln deceived of the country’s concourse unto 
him, and seeing the business past retraict, resolved to make 
on him where the king was, and give him battle. Bacon. 
RETRA'IT, s. Sjitratto, Ital.] A cast of the conn- 
tenance; a picture. Obsolete. 
She is the mighty Queen of Faery, 
Whose faire retraite I in my shield doe beare. Spenser. 
RETRAXIT, in Law', is where the plaintiff comes into 
court, and declares he will proceed no farther in his action. 
A perpetual bar to future actions. 
RETRE'AT, s. [retraite, Fr.] Act of retiring. 
But beauty’s triumph is well-tim’d retreat. 
As hard a science to the fair as great. . Pope. 
State of privacy; retirement. 
Here in the calm still mirror of retreat, 
I studied Shrewsbury the wise and great. Pope. 
Place of privacy; retirement. 
Holy retreat, sithence no female thither 
Must dare approach, from the inferiour reptile 
To woman, form divine. Prior. 
Place of security. 
This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat. 
Beyond his potent arm. Milton. 
There is no such way to give defence to absurd doctrines, 
as to guard them round with legions of obscure and undefined 
words; which yet make these retreats more like the dens of 
robbers, than the fortresses of fair warriors. Locke.-~A.ct of 
retiring before a superior force.—Honourable retreats are no 
ways inferior to brave charges, as having less of fortune, 
more of discipline, and as much of valour. Bacon. —See 
War. , , 
To RETRE'AT, v. n. To go to a private abode ; to take 
shelter; to goto a place of security. 
But yet so fast they could not home retreat. 
But that swift Talus did the foremost win. Spenser. 
To retire from a superior enemy; to go back out of the 
former place. 
The rapid currents drive 
Towards the retreating sea their furious tide. Milton. 
RETREAT is also a beat of the drum in the evening, to 
warn the soldiers to forbear firing, and the sentinels to chal¬ 
lenge till break of day. 
In fortified places, this is a signal for the inhabitants to 
come in before the gates are shut. 
Retreat, or Relay, in Masonry, denotes a little diminu¬ 
tion of the thickness of a wall, in proportion as it is raised. 
RETREAT, Point, a point of land in Lynn’s canal, on 
the west coast of North America. Lat. 58.24. N. long. 225 
12. E. 
RETRE'ATED, part. adj. Retired; gone to privacy. 
Others more mild. 
Retreated in a private valley, sing. Milton. 
To RETRE'NCH, v. a. [ retrencher, Fr. To cut off; 
to curtail; to diminish.] To cut off; to pare away; to con¬ 
fine. Unused.-— In some reigns, they are for a power and 
obedience that is unlimited; and in others, are for retrench¬ 
ing, within the narrowest bounds, the authority of the 
princes and the allegiance of the subject. Addison. 
To RETRE'NCH, v. n. To live with less magnificence 
or expence. 
Can I retrench ? yes mighty well 
Shrink back to my paternal cell, 
A little house, with trees a-row. 
And, like its master, very low. Pope. 
Vol. XXII. No. 1481. 
RET 21 
RETRE'NCHING, s. A curtailing; a cutting out.— 
All ancient books, having been preserved by transcription, 
were liable through ignorance, negligence, or fraud, to be 
corrupted in three different ways, that is to say, by retrench- 
ings, additions, and alterations. Harris . 
RETRE'NCHMENT, s. [retranchement, Fr.] Matter 
curtailed.—I had studied Virgil’s design, his judicious ma¬ 
nagement of the figures, the sober retrenchments of his 
sense, which always leaves something to gratify our imagi¬ 
nation, on which it may enlarge at pleasure. Vryden. — 
The want of vowels in our language has been the general 
complaint of our politest authors, who nevertheless have 
made these retrenchments, and consequently encreased our 
former scarcity. Addison. 
RETRENCHMENT, in War, denotes any kind of work 
cast up to strengthen or defend a post against the enemy.— 
Such as ditches with parapets, gabions, &c. 
To RE'TRIBUTE, v. a. [retribuo, Lat.] To pay back; 
to make repayment of.—In the state of nature, a man comes 
by no arbitrary power to abuse a criminal, but only to retri¬ 
bute to him, so far as calm reason and conscience dictate, 
what is proportionate to his transgression. Locke. 
RE'TRIBUTER, s. One that makes retribution. 
RETRIBUTION, s. Repayment; return accommodated 
to the action. 
All who have their reward on earth, the fruits 
Of painful superstition, and blind zeal, 
Nought seeking but the praise of men, here find 
Fit retribution, empty as their deeds. Milton. 
RETRI’BUTIVE, or Retki'butory, adj. Repaying ; 
making repayment.—Neither is it the pleasure of the Al¬ 
mighty to defer the retributory comforts of his mourners 
till another world: even here He is ready to supply them 
with abundant consolations. Bp. Hall. 
RETRIE'VABLE, adj. That may be retrieved.'—I in¬ 
terest myself a little in the -history of it, [office of poet 
laureate,] and rather wish somebody may accept it that will 
retrieve the credit of the thing, if it be retrievable, or ever 
had any credit. Gray. 
To RETRIE'VE, v. a. [retrouver, Fr. ritrovare, Ital. 
“ iterum invenire; quod, ni tailor, a Teut. treffen, tangere, 
attingere, orlum ducit; quod eo verisimilius fit, quod anti- 
qui semper treuver scripserunt.” Skinner. ]—To recover; 
to restore.—By this conduct we may retrieve the public 
credit of religion, reform the example of the age, and lessen 
the danger we complain of. Rogers. —To repair. 
O reason! once again to thee I call; 
Accept my sorrow, and retrieve my fall. Prior. 
To regain. 
With late repentance now they would retrieve 
The bodies they forsook, and wish to live. Dry den 
To recall; to bring back.—If one, like the old Latin poets, 
came among them, it would be a means to retrieve them 
from their cold trivial conceits, to an imitation of their pre¬ 
decessors. Bp. Berkeley. 
RETRIE'VE, s. A seeking again; a discovery. Bullokar. 
—We’ll bring Wax to the retrieve. B. Jonson. 
With this they all were satisfied, 
As men are wont o’ th’ bias’d side, 
Applauded the profound dispute; 
And grew more gay and resolute 
By having overcome all doubt. 
Than if it never had fall’n out; 
And to complete their narrative 
Agreed t’ insert this strange retrieve. Butler. 
RETRO, s. A Latin word signifying backwards; is used 
as a particle of composition with us. Johnson inserts the 
words retro-copulation and retro-mingent. It is time these 
indelicate words were expunged from our language; their 
meaning is easily expressed by a little circumlocution. 
RETROA'CTlON,s. [retro, Lat. backwards, and action. ] 
Action backward. 
G RETROACTIVE, 
