[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/retreat/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [R](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/r/) / retreat

# retreat

verb (retreat, retreats, retreated, retreating); noun (a retreat, retreats)

«retreat» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To move back or away, especially from danger or an enemy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#m1)
2. (noun) The act of moving back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#m2)
3. (noun) A quiet place where you go to rest or be alone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#m3)
4. To change your mind and stop saying or doing something: retreat from a promise. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#m4)
5. (noun) A short stay away from normal life for rest, prayer or planning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#m5)

### In the lessons

In history and stories an army retreats when it is losing. In science and geography glaciers and tides retreat (move back). In everyday life a retreat can be a cosy hideaway. Phrases: beat a retreat, in full retreat, a weekend retreat.

### Examples

- The soldiers retreated behind the hill. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#x1)
- The tide retreats twice a day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#x2)
- The cat retreated under the bed during the storm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#x3)
- The tree house is my secret retreat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#x4)
- The glacier has retreated a long way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#x5)
- When the dog barked, we beat a hasty retreat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#x6)
- The teachers went on a planning retreat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#x7)
- And he pretended to retreat, turning away the head of his horse. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/#x8)

### Note

Opposite of advance. Regular verb: retreated. In maths and physics problems, an object that retreats moves backwards, so its distance from the start gets smaller.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «retreat» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retreat/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«retreat» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/retreat.html) on Mova free.