retreat, n. [F. retraite, fr. retraire to withdraw, L. retrahere; pref. re- re- + trahere to draw. See Trace, and cf. Retract, Retrace.].

The act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable. [1913 Webster]
"In a retreat he o" [1913 Webster]
The place to which anyone retires; a place or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum. [1913 Webster]
"He built his son a house of pleasure, and spared no cost to make a delicious retreat." [1913 Webster]

"That pleasing shade they sought, a soft retreat
From sudden April showers, a shelter from the heat." [1913 Webster]
The retiring of an army or body of men from the face of an enemy, or from any ground occupied to a greater distance from the enemy, or from an advanced position. [1913 Webster]
" A retreat is properly an orderly march, in which circumstance it differs from a flight." [1913 Webster]
A special season of solitude and silence to engage in religious exercises. [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Retirement; departure; withdrawment; seclusion; solitude; privacy; asylum; shelter; refuge.

retreat, v. i.

To make a retreat; to retire from any position or place; to withdraw; as, the defeated army retreated from the field. [1913 Webster]

"The rapid currents drive
Towards the retreating sea their furious tide." [1913 Webster]

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

retreat, v. & n.
--v.
1 a intr. (esp. of military forces) go back, retire; relinquish a position. b tr. cause to retreat; move back.
2 intr. (esp. of features) recede; slope back.
--n.
1 a the act or an instance of retreating. b Mil. a signal for this.
2 withdrawal into privacy or security.
3 a place of shelter or seclusion.
4 a period of seclusion for prayer and meditation.
5 Mil. a bugle-call at sunset.
6 a place for the reception of the elderly or others in need of care.

Etymology

ME f. OF retret (n.), retraiter (v.) f. L retrahere: see RETRACT

top

THESAURUS

retreat

Jim Crow, abandon, abandonment, abscond, adytum, alcove, almshouse, apartheid, apartness, arbor, ascend, ashram, asylum, avoid, avoidance, back, back down, back out, balance, bank, beat a retreat, blench, blink, bolt-hole, bow out, bower, bowl, cabinet, cache, cant, capitulation, careen, catabasis, cell, cession, climb, climb down, cloister, closet, collapse, concealment, conservatory, corner, cover, covert, coverture, cranny, crash, cringe, cubby, cubbyhole, cup, dark corner, debate, decamp, decampment, deceleration, declension, decline, decline and fall, decrescendo, deliberate, demur, den, depart, departure, descend, detachment, die away, diminish, diminuendo, dip, disappear, disengage, disengagement, dish, dive, dodge, downtrend, downturn, draw back, draw off, drift away, drop, duck, dugout, dwindle, dwindling, ebb, egress, escape, evacuate, evacuation, evade, evasion, exit, exodus, fade, fade away, fall, fall away, fall back, fall off, fallback, falter, fear, flee, flight, flinch, fly, foster home, foxhole, funk hole, gazebo, getaway, give, give back, give ground, give place, giving in, giving over, giving up, glasshouse, go, go away, go back, go downhill, go uphill, going, grade, greenhouse, halfway house, hang back, harbor, harborage, haven, hegira, hem and haw, hermitage, hesitate, hideaway, hideout, hidey hole, hiding, hiding place, hole, hollow, holy of holies, home, hospice, hospitium, hover, hum and haw, incline, incurve, isolation, isolationism, ivory tower, jib, keel, kiosk, lair, lapse, lathhouse, lean, leave, leaving, list, lose ground, mew, move away, move back, move off, niche, nook, nursing home, orphanage, parting, passing, pause, pergola, pitch, plunge, ponder, poor farm, poorhouse, port, privacy, privatism, privatization, pull away, pull back, pull out, pullback, pullout, quail, quarantine, quit, rake, recede, recedence, receding, recess, recession, reclusion, recoil, reculade, reel back, refuge, relinquishment, remission, removal, remove, renunciation, resort, rest home, retire, retirement, retract, retractation, retractility, retraction, retrocede, retrocedence, retrograde, rise, run away, run back, rustication, sanctuary, sanctum, sanctum sanctorum, scruple, seclusion, secrecy, secret place, segregation, separation, sequestration, sheer off, shelter, shelve, shilly-shally, shrink, shrink back, shy, sidestep, sidestepping, sidle, sink, slant, slope, slowdown, slump, solitude, splendid isolation, stand back, stand off, start aside, start back, stash, stick at, stickle, stop to consider, straddle the fence, strain at, subsidence, summerhouse, surrender, swag, sway, swerve, take flight, think twice about, tilt, tip, turn aside, turn tail, undercovert, uprise, vacate, vanish, walkout, wane, weasel, weasel out, widen the distance, wince, withdraw, withdrawal, withdrawment, workhouse, yield

top

ROGET THESAURUS

retreat

Avoidance

N avoidance, abstention, abstinence, for bearance, refraining, inaction, neutrality, avoidance, evasion, elusion, seclusion, avolation, flight, escape, retreat, recoil, departure, rejection, shirker, truant, fugitive, refugee, runaway, runagate, maroon, unsought, unattempted, avoiding, neutral, shy of, elusive, evasive, fugitive, runaway, shy, wild, Adj, lest, in order to avoid, Int, forbear!, keep off, hands off!, sauve qui peut!, every man for himself!, devil take the hindmost!, things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme.

Refuge

N refuge, sanctuary, retreat, fastness, acropolis, keep, last resort, ward, prison, asylum, ark, home, refuge for the destitute, almshouse, hiding place, sanctum sanctorum, roadstead, anchorage, breakwater, mole, port, haven, harbor, harbor of refuge, seaport, pier, jetty, embankment, quay, covert, cover, shelter, screen, lee wall, wing, shield, umbrella, barrier, dashboard, dasher, wall, fort, anchor, kedge, grapnel, grappling iron, sheet anchor, killick, mainstay, support, cheek, ballast, jury mast, vent-peg, safety valve, blow-off valve, safety lamp, lightning rod, lightning conductor, safety belt, airbag, seat belt, antilock brakes, antiskid tires, snow tires, means of escape, lifeboat, lifejacket, life buoy, swimming belt, cork jacket, parachute, plank, steppingstone, emergency landing, safeguard, any port in a storm, bibere venenum in auro, valet anchora virtus.

Escape

N escape, scape, avolation, elopement, flight, evasion, retreat, narrow escape, hairbreadth escape, close call, come off, impunity, loophole, path, refuse, vent, vent peg, safety valve, drawbridge, fire escape, reprieve, liberation, refugee, escaping, escaped, stolen away, fled, the bird has flown the coop.

Submission

VB succumb, submit, yeild, bend, resign, defer to, lay down one's arms, deliver up one's arms, lower colors, haul down colors, strike one's flag, strike colors, surrender, surrender at discretion, cede, capitulate, come to terms, retreat, beat a retreat, draw in one's horns, give way, give round, give in, give up, cave in, suffer judgment by default, bend, bend to one's yoke, bend before the storm, reel back, bend down, knuckle down, knuckle to, knuckle under, knock under, eat dirt, eat the leek, eat humble pie, bite the dust, lick the dust, be at one's feet, fall at one's feet, craven, crouch before, throw oneself at the feet of, swallow the leek, swallow the pill, kiss the rod, turn the other cheek, avaler les couleuvres, gulp down, obey, kneel to, bow to, pay homage to, cringe to, truckle to, bend the neck, bend the knee, kneel, fall on one's knees, bow submission, courtesy, curtsy, kowtow, pocket the affront, make the best of, make a virtue of necessity, grin and abide, grin and bear it, shrug the shoulders, resign oneself, submit with a good grace.

Reversion

N reversion, return, revulsion, turning point, turn of the tide, status quo ante bellum, calm before a storm, alternation, inversion, recoil, retreat, regression, retrogression, restoration, relapse, recidivism, atavism, vicinism, reverting, regressive, revulsive, reactionary, retrorse, a rebours.

VB revert, turn back, regress, relapse, recoil, retreat, restore, undo, unmake, turn the tide, roll back the tide, turn the scale, tip the scale.

Abode

N abode, dwelling, lodging, domicile, residence, apartment, place, digs, pad, address, habitation, where one's lot is cast, local habitation, berth, diggings, seat, lap, sojourn, housing, quarters, headquarters, resiance, tabernacle, throne, ark, home, fatherland, country, homestead, homestall, fireside, hearth, hearth stone, chimney corner, inglenook, ingle side, harem, seraglio, zenana, household gods, lares et penates, roof, household, housing, dulce domum, paternal domicile, native soil, native land, habitat, range, stamping ground, haunt, hangout, biosphere, environment, ecological niche, nest, nidus, snuggery, arbor, bower, lair, den, cave, hole, hiding place, cell, sanctum sanctorum, aerie, eyrie, eyry, rookery, hive, covert, resort, retreat, perch, roost, nidification, kala jagah, bivouac, camp, encampment, cantonment, castrametation, barrack, casemate, casern, tent, building, chamber, xenodochium, tenement, messuage, farm, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, toft, cot, cabin, hut, chalet, croft, shed, booth, stall, hovel, bothy, shanty, dugout, wigwam, pen, barn, bawn, kennel, sty, doghold, cote, coop, hutch, byre, cow house, cow shed, stable, dovecote, columbary, columbarium, shippen, igloo, iglu, jacal, lacustrine dwelling, lacuslake dwelling, lacuspile dwelling, log cabin, log house, shack, shebang, tepee, topek, house, mansion, place, villa, cottage, box, lodge, hermitage, rus in urbe, folly, rotunda, tower, chateau, castle, pavilion, hotel, court, manor-house, capital messuage, hall, palace, kiosk, bungalow, casa, country seat, apartment house, flat house, frame house, shingle house, tenement house, temple, hamlet, village, thorp, dorp, ham, kraal, borough, burgh, town, city, capital, metropolis, suburb, province, country, county town, county seat, courthouse, ghetto, street, place, terrace, parade, esplanade, alameda, board walk, embankment, road, row, lane, alley, court, quadrangle, quad, wynd, close, yard, passage, rents, buildings, mews, square, polygon, circus, crescent, mall, piazza, arcade, colonnade, peristyle, cloister, gardens, grove, residences, block of buildings, market place, place, plaza, anchorage, roadstead, roads, dock, basin, wharf, quay, port, harbor, quarter, parish, assembly room, meetinghouse, pump room, spa, watering place, inn, hostel, hostelry, hotel, tavern, caravansary, dak bungalow, khan, hospice, public house, pub, pot house, mug house, gin mill, gin palace, bar, bar room, barrel house, cabaret, chophouse, club, clubhouse, cookshop, dive, exchange, grill room, saloon, shebeen, coffee house, eating house, canteen, restaurant, buffet, cafe, estaminet, posada, almshouse, poorhouse, townhouse, garden, park, pleasure ground, plaisance, demesne, cage, terrarium, doghouse, pen, aviary, barn, stall, zoo, urban, metropolitan, suburban, provincial, rural, rustic, domestic, cosmopolitan, palatial, eigner Hert ist goldes Werth, even cities have their graves, ubi libertas ibi patria, home sweet home.

Regression

N regress, regression, retrocession, retrogression, retrograduation, retroaction, reculade, retreat, withdrawal, retirement, remigration, recession, recess, crab-like motion, refluence, reflux, backwater, regurgitation, ebb, return, resilience reflection, reflexion (recoil), flip-flop, volte-face, counter motion, retrograde motion, backward movement, motion in reverse, counter movement, counter march, veering, tergiversation, recidivation, backsliding, fall, deterioration, recidivism, recidivity, reversal, relapse, turning point, receding, retrograde, retrogressive, regressive, refluent, reflex, recidivous, resilient, crab-like, balky, reactionary, back, backwards, reflexively, to the right about, a reculons, a rebours, revenons a nos moutons, as you were.

VB recede, regrade, return, revert, retreat, retire, retrograde, retrocede, back out, back down, balk, crawfish, crawl, withdraw, rebound, go back, come back, turn back, hark back, draw back, fall back, get back, put back, run back, lose ground, fall astern, drop astern, backwater, put about, backtrack, take the back track, veer round, double, wheel, countermarch, ebb, regurgitate, jib, shrink, shy, turn tail, turn round, turn upon one's heel, turn one's back upon, retrace one's steps, dance the back step, sound a retreat, beat a retreat, go home.

Recession

N recession, retirement, withdrawal, retreat, retrocession, departure, recoil, flight, receding, distance oneself from a person.

VB recede, go, move back, move from, retire, withdraw, shrink, back off, come away, move away, back away, go away, get away, drift away, depart, retreat, move off, stand off, sheer off, fall back, stand aside, run away, remove, shunt, distance.

Ambush

N ambush, camouflage, mimicry, hiding place, secret place, secret drawer, recess, hold, holes and corners, closet, crypt, adytum, abditory, oubliette, ambush, ambuscade, stalking horse, lurking hole, lurking place, secret path, back stairs, retreat, screen, cover, shade, blinker, veil, curtain, blind, cloak, cloud, mask, visor, vizor, disguise, masquerade dress, domino, pitfall, trap, camouflaged, hidden, concealed, aux aguets.

See related words and definitions of word "retreat" in Indonesian