22 RET 
RETROA'CTIVE, adj. [retro, Lat. and active.'] Acting 
in regard to things past.—A bill of pains and penalties was 
introduced, a retroactive statute, to punish the offences, 
which did not exist at the time they were committed. 
Gibbon. 
RETROCE’SSION, s. [ retrocessum, Lat.] The act of 
going back.—This argument is drawn from the sun’s retro¬ 
cession. More. —The retrocession of the shadow must be 
as natural as before. Gregory. 
RETROGRADA'TION, s. [ retrogradation , Fr.] The 
act of going backward.—For retrogradation, the shadow 
went back ten degrees in the dial of Ahaz. Bp. Hall .— 
Planets have their stations and retrogradations, as well as 
their direct motion. Cudworth. —As for the revolutions, 
stations, and retrogradations of the planets, observed con¬ 
stantly in most certain periods of time, it sufficiently demon¬ 
strates, that their motions are governed by counsel. Ray. 
For Retrogradation of the planets and of the sun, 
see Astronomy. For Retrogradation in fluxions, see 
Fluxions. 
RETROGRADE, adj. [retrograde, Fr. retro and gra- 
dior, Lat.] Going backward.—Princes, if they use ambitious 
men, should handle it so, as they be still progressive, and not 
retrograde. Bacon. —Contrary ; opposite. 
Your intent 
In going back to school to Wittenberg, 
It is most retrograde to our desire. Shakspeare. 
In astronomy, planets are retrograde, when by their 
proper motion in the zodiac, they move backward, and con¬ 
trary to the succession of the signs; as from the second de¬ 
gree of Aries to the first: but this retrogradation is only ap¬ 
parent and occasioned by the observer’s eye being placed on 
the earth; for to an eye at the sun, the planet will appear 
always direct, and never either stationary or retrograde. 
Harris. 
Their wand’ring course, now high, now low, then hid. 
Progressive, retrograde , or standing still. 
In six thou see’st. Milton. 
Two geomantick figures were display’d; 
One when direct, and one when retrograde. Dry den. 
To RETROGRADE, v. n. [ retrograder, Fr. retro and 
gradior, Lat.] To go backward.—The race and period of all 
things here, is to turn things more pneumatical and rare, and 
not to retrograde from pneumatical to that which is dense. 
Bacon. 
RETROGRADO, [Ital.] in Music, a retrograde motion 
of a melody, or subject of canon. This motion is sometimes 
termed by the Italians, imitatione cancherizant.e; imitation 
of the movement of a crab-fish. 
RETROGRESSION, s. [ retro and gressus, Lat.] The 
act of going backwards.—The account, established upon the 
rise and descent of the stars, can be no reasonable rule unto 
distant nations, and by reason of their retrogression , but 
temporary unto any one: Brown. 
RETROSPECT, s. [retro and specio, Lat.] Look thrown 
upon things behind or things past.—-As you arraign his ma¬ 
jesty by retrospect, so you condemn his government by se¬ 
cond sight. Addison. 
RETROSPE'CTION, s. Act or faculty of looking back¬ 
wards. 
Can’st thou take delight in viewing 
This poor isle’s approaching ruin, 
When thy retrospection vast 
Sees the glorious ages past? 
Happy nation were we blind 
Or had only eyes behind. Swift. 
RETROSPE'CTIVE, adj. Looking backwards. 
In vain the grave, with retrospective eye. 
Would from the apparent what conclude the why. Pope. 
RETROVERSIO UTERI, a displacement of the uterus, 
see Pathology. 
To RETRU'DE, v. a. [rctrudo , Lat.] To thrust back. 
RET 
The term of latitude is breathless line; 
A point the line doth manfully retrude 
From infinite process. More. 
RETTEG, a market town of Transylvania, in the county 
of Inner Szolnok, near the Szamosch; 35 miles north-by-east 
of Clausenburg. 
RETTENBACH, a village of Germany, in Bavaria; 4 
miles east of Ottobeuren. Population 1000. 
RETTENDON, a village of England, in Essex; 4| miles 
north-west of Hadleigh. 
RETTINGHERY, a town of the south of India, province 
of Mysore, belonging to the rajah. Lat. 14. 5. N. long. 77. 
4. E. 
RETTO, [Ital.] in Music, t raight forward, direct, one of 
three movements of musical notes or sounds in melody; 
which are, moto retto, moto contrario, and moto obliquo. 
Moto retto is, therefore, a regular ascent of the scale, or a 
part of it: as moving from the key-note to the fifth, through 
all the intermediate sounds, in regular order. 
To RETU'ND, v. a. [retundo, Lat.] To blunt; to turn. 
—Covered with skin and hair keeps it warm, being naturally 
a very cold part, and also to quench and dissipate the force 
of any stroke that shall be dealt it, and refund the edge of 
any weapon. Ray. 
To RETU'RN, v. n. [retourner, Fr.] To come again to 
the same place.—On their embattled ranks the waves return. 
Milton. —To come back to the same state.—If they re¬ 
turned out of bondage, it must be into a state of freedom. 
Locke.-*- To go back. 
I am in blood 
Stept in so far, that should I wade no more, 
Returning were as tedious as go o’er. Shakspeare. 
To make answer. 
The thing of courage, 
As rous’d with rage, with rage doth sympathize; 
And with an accent tun’d in self-same key, 
Returns to chiding fortune. Shakspeare. 
To come back; to come again; to revisit. 
Thou to mankind 
Be good, and friendly still, and oft return. Milton. 
After a periodical revolution, to begin the same again. 
With the year 
Seasons return, but not to me returns 
Day, or the sweet approach of even or mom. Milton. 
To retort; to recriminate.—If you are a malicious reader, 
you return upon me, that I affect to be thought more im¬ 
partial than I am. Dryden. 
To RETU'RN, v. a. To repay; to give in requital. 
What peace can we return, 
But to our power, hostility, and hate ? Milt on - 
To give back.—What counsel give ye to retur n answer 
to this people. 2 Chron. —To send back. 
Reject not then what offer’d means, who knows 
But God hath set before us to return thee 
Home to thy country and his sacred house. Milton. 
To give account of.—Probably one-fourth part more died 
of the plague than are return'd. Grauiit. —To transmit._ 
Instead of a ship, he should levy money, and return the same 
to the treasurer for his majesty’s use. Clarendon. 
RETU'RN, s. Coming back to the same place or period. 
The king of France so suddenly gone back! 
Something since his coming forth is thought of, 
That his return was now most necessary. Shakspeare. 
Retrogression.—At the return of the year, the king of 
Syria will come up. 1 Kings.— Revolution; vicissitude._ 
Weapons hardly fall under rule ; yet even they have n turns 
and vicissitudes; for ordnance was known in the city oi the 
Oxidraces in India, and is what the Macedonians called 
thunder and lightning. Bacon. —Repayment of money laid 
out in commodities for sale.—As for any merchandize you 
have 
