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retract

 - 4 dictionary results

re⋅tract

1  [ri-trakt]
Use retract in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to draw back or in: to retract fangs.
–verb (used without object)
2. to draw back within itself or oneself, fold up, or the like, or to be capable of doing this: The blade retracts.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME retracten < L retractus, ptp. of retrahere to draw back, equiv. to re- re- + tractus (see tract 1 )

re⋅tract

2  [ri-trakt]
–verb (used with object)
1. to withdraw (a statement, opinion, etc.) as inaccurate or unjustified, esp. formally or explicitly; take back.
2. to withdraw or revoke (a decree, promise, etc.).
–verb (used without object)
3. to draw or shrink back.
4. to withdraw a promise, vow, etc.
5. to make a disavowal of a statement, opinion, etc.; recant.
Origin:
1535–45; < L retractāre to reconsider, withdraw, equiv. to re- re- + tractāre to drag, pull, take in hand (freq. of trahere to pull)

Related forms:
re⋅tract⋅a⋅ble, re⋅tract⋅i⋅ble, adjective
re⋅tract⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, re⋅tract⋅i⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun
re⋅trac⋅ta⋅tion  [ree-trak-tey-shuhn] , noun

Synonyms:
1, 2. deny, renounce, recant, abrogate, nullify, annul.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To retract
re·tract   (rĭ-trākt')   
v.   re·tract·ed, re·tract·ing, re·tracts

v.   tr.

  1. To take back; disavow: refused to retract the statement.

  2. To draw back or in: a plane retracting its landing gear. See Synonyms at recede1.

  3. Linguistics

    1. To utter (a sound) with the tongue drawn back.

    2. To draw back (the tongue).

v.   intr.

  1. To take something back or disavow it.

  2. To draw back.


[Latin retractāre, to revoke, frequentative of retrahere, to draw back : re-, re- + trahere, to draw. V., tr., senses 2 and 3, and v., intr., sense 2, Middle English retracten, from Old French retracter, from Latin retractus, past participle of retrahere.]
re·tract'a·bil'i·ty, re·tract'i·bil'i·ty n., re·tract'a·ble, re·tract'i·ble adj., re'trac·ta'tion (rē'trāk-tā'shən) n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: re·tract
Pronunciation: ri-'trakt
Function: transitive verb
: to draw back or in <retract the lower jaw> —compare PROTRACT retract intransitive senses
: to draw something (as tissue) back or in; also : to use a retractor
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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