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Webster 1913 Edition


Retract

Re-tract′

(rē̍-trākt′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Retracted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Retracting
.]
[F.
rétracter
, L.
retractare
,
retractatum
, to handle again, reconsider, retract, fr.
retrahere
,
retractum
, to draw back. See
Retreat
.]
1.
To draw back; to draw up or shorten;
as, the cat can
retract
its claws; to
retract
a muscle.
2.
To withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take back;
as, to
retract
an accusation or an assertion
.
I would as freely have
retracted
this charge of idolatry as I ever made it.
Bp. Stillingfleet.
3.
To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to revoke.
[Obs.]
Woodward.
Syn. – To recall; withdraw; rescind; revoke; unsay; disavow; recant; abjure; disown.

Re-tract′

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To draw back; to draw up;
as, muscles
retract
after amputation
.
2.
To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession or a declaration.
She will, and she will not; she grants, denies,
Consents,
retracts
, advances, and then files.
Granville.

Re-tract′

,
Noun.
(Far.)
The pricking of a horse’s foot in nailing on a shoe.

Webster 1828 Edition


Retract

RETRACT'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. retractus, retraho; re and traho, to draw.]
1.
To recall, as a declaration, words or saying; to disavow; to recant; as, to retract an accusation, charge or assertion.
I would as freely have retracted the charge of idolatry, as I ever made it.
2.
To take back; to rescind. [Little used.]
3.
To draw back, as claws.

RETRACT'

,
Verb.
T.
To take back; to unsay; to withdraw concession or declaration.
She will, and she will not; she grants, denies, consents, retracts, advances, and then flies.

RETRACT'

,
Noun.
Among horsemen, the prick of a horse's foot in nailing a shoe.

Definition 2024


retract

retract

English

Verb

retract (third-person singular simple present retracts, present participle retracting, simple past and past participle retracted)

  1. (transitive) To pull back inside.
    An airplane retracts its wheels for flight.
  2. (transitive, intransitive) To draw back; to draw up.
    Muscles retract after amputation.
    A cat can retract its claws.
  3. (transitive) To take back or withdraw something one has said.
    I retract all the accusations I made about the senator and sincerely hope he won't sue me.
    • Bishop Stillingfleet
      I would as freely have retracted this charge of idolatry as I ever made it.
    • Granville
      She will, and she will not; she grants, denies, / Consents, retracts, advances, and then flies.
  4. To take back, as a grant or favour previously bestowed; to revoke.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Woodward to this entry?)

Synonyms

Translations

See also