About The Word Retract

Bay Area Crosswords

Learn about the word Retract to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Retract definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

Retract

Retract Meaning & Definition
Retract Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Retract?

[v] formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure; "He retracted his earlier statements about his religion"; "She abjured her beliefs"
[v] pull inward or towards a center; "The pilot drew in the landing gear"; "The cat retracted his claws"
[v] use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)
[v] shrink back, as in fear

Synonyms | Synonyms for Retract: abjure | draw back | draw in | forswear | pull back | recant | resile | shrink back

Related Terms | Find terms related to Retract:

See Also | attract | cringe | draw | flinch | funk | introvert | invaginate | pull | pull in | quail | recoil | renounce | repudiate | shrink | squinch | wince

Retract In Webster's Dictionary

\Re*tract"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Retracted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Retracting}.] [F. r['e]tracter, L. retractare, retractatum, to handle again, reconsider, retract, fr. retrahere, retractum, to draw back. See {Retreat}.] 1. To draw back; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can retract its claws; to retract a muscle. 2. Ti withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take back; as, to retract an accusation or an assertion. I would as freely have retracted this charge of idolatry as I ever made it. --Bp. Stillingfleet. 3. To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to revoke. [Obs.] --Woodward. Syn: To recal; withdraw; rescind; revoke; unsay; disavow; recant; abjure; disown.
\Re*tract"\, v. i. 1. To draw back; to draw up; as, muscles retract after amputation. 2. To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession or a declaration. She will, and she will not; she grants, denies, Consents, retracts, advances, and then files. --Granville.
\Re*tract"\, n. (Far.) The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.
\Re*tract"\, n. Retreat. [Obs.] --Bacon.

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