26984 words

retreat

17 definitions • 21 examples
1
to go away from a place or person in order to escape from fighting or danger:

Examples:

Attacks by enemy aircraft forced the tanks to retreat (from the city).
When she came towards me shouting, I retreated (behind my desk).
2
to go to a quiet safe place in order to avoid a difficult situation:

Examples:

When he's done something wrong, he retreats to his bedroom.
3
to decide not to do something, or to stop believing something, because it causes too many problems:

Examples:

4
If a price retreats, it goes down after it has gone up:

Examples:

Wheat prices retreated after a two-day increase.
5
a move back by soldiers or an army, either because they have been defeated or in order to avoid fighting:

Examples:

the retreat from Dunkirk
Enemy soldiers are now in (full) retreat.
6
a private and safe place:

Examples:

a country/mountain/lakeside retreat
7
a period of time used to pray and study quietly, or to think carefully, away from normal activities and duties:

Examples:

We went on (a) retreat at/to a monastery in Wales.
8
a change from previous beliefs or behaviour:

Examples:

The professor's speech marked/signalled a retreat from his usual extreme views.
9
a situation in which the price of something goes down:

Examples:

Over the past few weeks we have seen the currency's big retreat from its historic high.
10
to move back and away from someone or something, esp. because you are frightened or want to be alone:

Examples:

She burst into tears and retreated to the bedroom.
11
To retreat is also to go away from a person or place because you are unwilling to fight any more:

Examples:

12
the act of going away from a person or place because you are unwilling to fight any more or are frightened:

Examples:

[ U ] Rebel soldiers were in (full) retreat.
13
A retreat is also a private and safe place where you can be alone.
14
to become lower in value or amount, especially after getting higher:

Examples:

Wheat prices retreated after a two-day increase.
By the end of business, the dollar had retreated by a full percentage point against the euro.
retreat to sth Share prices retreated 28p to 721p.
retreat from sth Other high-tech stocks retreated from strong gains earlier in the week.
15
to stop doing something, because it causes too many problems:

Examples:

retreat from sth The company retreated from the US market in the late 1990s.
16
a fall in the price, amount, etc. of something, especially after having been high:

Examples:

a retreat from sth Over the past few weeks we have seen the currency's big retreat from its historic high.
The FTSE 100 was also in retreat as London traders responded to falls on Wall Street.
17
a decision not to do something you had planned to do, because it causes too many problems

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