retreat (n.)

  1. (military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat; the disorderly retreat of French troops'

  2. a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet

  3. (military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous position

  4. (military) a bugle call signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset

  5. an area where you can be alone

    [ Syn: hideaway ]

  6. withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation; the religious retreat is a form of vacation activity

    [ Syn: retirement ]

  7. the act of withdrawing or going backward (especially to escape something hazardous or unpleasant)

    retreat (v.)

  1. pull back or move away or backward; The enemy withdrew; The limo pulled away from the curb

    [ Syn: withdraw , pull away , draw back , recede , pull back , retire , move back ]

  2. move away, as for privacy; The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer'

  3. move back; The glacier retrogrades

    [ Syn: retrograde ]

  4. make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity; Well have to crawfish out from meeting with him; He backed out of his earlier promise; The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns

    [ Syn: pull back , back out , back away , crawfish , crawfish out , pull in ones horns , withdraw ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.