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# retrograde

adjective (retrograde); verb (retrograde — rare); noun (retrograde — rare)

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

## Everyday

1. Going backwards, or getting worse instead of better. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#m1)
2. (science, astronomy) Moving in the direction opposite to the usual one; for example, a planet seeming to move backwards across the night sky. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#m2)
3. (medicine) «Retrograde amnesia» is losing memories from before an injury. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science and astronomy it describes «retrograde motion»: planets like Mars seem to go backwards for a while because Earth overtakes them. In news and history «a retrograde step» is a change that makes things worse. In astrology people talk of «Mercury in retrograde», which is not science. Phrases: «a retrograde step», «retrograde motion», «in retrograde».

### Examples

- Closing the library would be a retrograde step. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#x1)
- Mars shows retrograde motion in the night sky. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#x2)
- Venus spins in a retrograde direction, opposite to most planets. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#x3)
- After the fall, he had retrograde amnesia and forgot the morning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#x4)
- Some moons orbit in a retrograde way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#x5)
- Going back to the old rules felt retrograde. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retrograde/#x6)

### Note

Formal. Myth: planets do not really turn round; it only looks that way from Earth. Claims that «Mercury retrograde» causes bad luck are astrology, not science. Opposite: «progressive».

## In Jewish tradition

In Sefer Yetzirah the word describes a sphere turning backwards, which the text takes as a sign of evil.

**Interpretation.** The tradition reads the turning of the sphere forward or backward as a sign of good or ill. The direction of movement is treated as a message.

### Examples

- If the sphere be rotated forward, good is implied, if in a retrograde manner evil is intended. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/retrograde/#x1)

### Note

Formal. Myth: planets do not really turn round; it only looks that way from Earth. Claims that «Mercury retrograde» causes bad luck are astrology, not science. Opposite: «progressive».

## On Mova

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