reculaden.
/rɛkjᵿˈlɑːd/, U.S. /rɛkjəˈlɑd/ Now rare.
A retreat; (chiefly figurative) a withdrawal from a declared position, a climbdown.Chiefly (now only) in French contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [noun] > giving way or giving in
yieldingc1425
yield1602
succumbency1653
succumbence1837
reculade1883
succumbing1885
1658 E. Phillips New World Eng. Words (at cited word) Reculade (French), a recoiling, or going back.
1844 Littell's Living Age 26 Oct. 746/1 The Ancona expedition and reculade..have..been great cards for the king in his internal policy.
1883 Standard 14 Sept. 5/6 The French Cabinet..are, perhaps, too sensitive as to what the papers may say about their reculade.
1891 Catholic News 24 Jan. 3/2 Nothing can show better the ‘reculade’ of neo-ritualism towards Protestantism.
1974 P. Crunican Priests & Politicians vi. 182 L'Electeur saw it as another ‘reculade’ on the part of government to avoid doing real justice to the Catholic minority.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1658