retrogradationn.
/ˌrɛtrəʊɡrəˈdeɪʃn/, U.S. /ˈˌrɛtroʊɡreɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/ 1.
a. Astronomy and Astrology. An apparent motion of a planet or other celestial object in a reverse direction to that which is normal, i.e. from east to west across the celestial sphere; esp. such motion occurring temporarily in a superior planet when it is close to opposition, resulting from the shorter orbital period of the earth as compared with the planet; an instance of this. Cf. direct adj. 3. Also (in 17th cent.) figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > planet > planetary movement > [noun] > retrograde motion
retrogradation?c1450
retrogration1567
regradation1607
retrograde1613
retrogression1619
retrocession1639
regression1640
regress1642
repedation1646
retrogation1646
antecedence1649
?c1450 (a1388) tr. Richard of Wallingford Exafrenon (Digby) in J. D. North Wks. Richard of Wallingford (1976) I. 211 (MED) The planete is clepid retrograde..for that..in retrogradation his vertewe is mekil feblid.
1583 R. Harvey Astrological Disc. sig. A8v Saturne shal be retrocedent also, beginning his retrogradation the 25th day of June.
a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1955) II. 297 There is a going behind Christ, which is a casting out of his presence, without any future following, and that is a fearefull station, a fearefull retrogradation.
a1641 R. Montagu Acts & Monuments (1642) 124 The Retrogradation of the Sun in Ezechias time.
a1652 J. Smith Select Disc. (1660) v. ii. 129 No such ebbings and flowings, no such diversity of stations and retrogradations as that Love hath in us.
1670 R. Cudworth Serm. 1 John ii. 3–4 (ed. 3) 58 These upper Planets..have their Stations and Retrogradations as well as their direct motion.
1755 B. Martin Mag. Arts & Sci. 83 I have no Occasion to ask concerning his Conjunctions, Oppositions, Retrogradations, &c.
1839 H. Moseley Lect. Astron. (1854) liv. 169 This retrogradation will continue until about the 28th.
1896 W. J. Simmonite & J. Story Horary Astrol. (ed. 6) 229 The second station is after they have passed their perigee, and from retrogradation become direct.
1921 T. L. Heath Hist. Greek Math. II. xiv. 196 Under each of the two hypotheses, the apparent forward motion changes into apparent retrogradation.
1996 Independent (Nexis) 7 Jan. 18 The two technical arguments that Mr Dawkins can muster (regarding the shifting constellations and the illusion of retrogradation of the planets) have both been patiently and ably met by serious astrologers.
b. Astronomy. The retrograde motion on the ecliptic of the lunar or (less commonly) planetary nodes.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > planet > primary planet > moon > lunar orbit > [noun] > node > backward movement of
regression1640
retrogradation1657
regress1715
1657 J. Newton Astronomia Britannica ii. ix. 105 According to Tycho there is a twofold variation, The first is occasioned by the various intersection of the Moones orbe with the Zodiack, and the other by the reciprocal progression and retrogradation of the Nodes.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. (at cited word) Retrogradation of the Nodes, is a Motion of the Line of the Nodes, whereby it continually shifts its Situation from East to West, contrary to the Order of the Signs.
1831 D. Brewster Life I. Newton xi. 167 He showed that the retrogradation of the nodes..arose from one of the elements of the solar force being exerted in the plane of the ecliptic.
1890 R. G. Greene Internat. Cycl. x. 661 The average annual retrogradation of the nodes is very small in the case of the planets, but considerable in that of the moon.
1920 P. P. Blackburn White's Elements Theoret. & Descriptive Astron. (ed. 8) ix. 130 Cause of the retrogradation of the nodes.—This retrograde movement of the moon's nodes is similar..to the precession of the equinoxes.
2007 C. Barbieri Fund. Astron. xiv. 246 Draconitic month: the time between two passages of the Moon through the ascending node... Owing to the secular retrogradation of the nodes, its value is the shortest [of the different months].
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > retrospection, reminiscence > [noun] > returning to a topic
retrogradation1587
retire1589
retrospection1685
recurrence1751
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > process of reasoning, ratiocination > process of inferring, inference > [noun] > reference to previous point
retrogradation1587
1587 R. Holinshed et al. Hist. Eng. (new ed.) vi. x. 141/2 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) I As you shall find it by retrogradation from the 32 verse vnto the first of the fift chapter of Genesis.
1634 A. Warwick Spare-minutes (ed. 2) 78 What's a City to a Shire? What a Shire to the whole Island?.. And so by a retrogradation how litle? How nothing is this poor glory.
1690 W. Leybourn Cursus mathematicus 349 Then by Retrogradation orderly one might come to the said Aequation.
1707 J. Jacques Ordination Meer Presbyters 123 If Blondel from the Year 146..had made a Retrogradation to CXI, he would have found St. Ignatius.
1799 W. Tooke View Russ. Empire I. 481 Without being able, whatever retrogradations we might make, to discover their first generation.
1819 J. Foster Ess. Evils Pop. Ignorance 7 You cannot perform in imagination a series of acts of unlearning, realizing to yourselves, throughout the retrogradation [etc.].
1845 E. A. Poe Power of Words in U.S. Mag. & Democratic Rev. June 604/1 He could have no difficulty in determining, by the analytic retrogradation, to what original impulse it was due.
3. † b. Reversion from one state to another. Obsolete.
a. The action, fact, or condition of falling back in development; retrogression, decline. Cf. regression n. 3a.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > relapse > [noun]
again-falling1340
regressa1522
retrogration1567
regression1583
retrogradationa1609
reincidency1622
recess1641
retrogation1646
setback1669
retrogress1701
retrogression1757
backwarding1765
fallback1830
throwback1856
regressivity1890
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > backward movement > [noun] > movement in reverse direction
reversec1487
retrogression1604
retrogradationa1609
renversement1918
a1609 A. Hume Afold Admon. Ministrie in Hymnes & Sacred Songs (1832) 13 As concerning theis Byschopes..gif yee,..wald returne to their forme,..than ye mak a retrogradatione.
1749 D. Hartley Observ. Man ii. i. 29 We ought to suppose ourselves in the Centre of the System, and to try..to reduce all apparent Retrogradations to real Progressions.
a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. iii. 136 Improvement admits of frequent intermissions and retrogradations.
1814 Ann. Reg. Pref. p. iv The singular mixture of advance and retrogradation which the events of the year have exhibited.
1873 H. Rogers Superhuman Origin Bible (1874) ix. 378 Amidst all the fluctuations and apparent retrogradations of the world.
1919 in J. C. Hover et al. Mem. Miami Valley II. 558 Almost imperceptibly the retrogradation of prosperity closed in on the country.
1933 A. Kuyper Women of Old Test. 9 The Scriptures depict woman as she is. Accordingly, they reveal..her retrogradation because of sin.
2008 D. M. Chi et al. Hist. Buddhism Vietnam xiii. 226 Tu Duc had to return to Buddhist orthodoxy to save the dynasty from retrogradation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > change > change to something else, transformation > change of direction, reversion > [noun]
gain-turning1340
reversion1547
regression1583
unmaking1587
retrogradation1638
repedation1646
metathesis1653
recommencement1655
antecedency1656
remutation1692
reconversion1759
relapsing1772
recurrence1789
revertal1824
switcheroo1933
1638 Sir R. Baker Meditations & Disquisitions 51 Ps. 31 How then is it possible, that my sins which are as red as scarlet; should ever be made, as white as snow? Indeed, such retrogradation is no worke of humane art.
c. Chemistry. A process in which gelatinized starch (such as that of a cooked or baked food product) gradually reorders into a more rigid crystalline state, causing the product to become stale.
ΚΠ
1905 Chem. News & Jrnl. Industr. Sci. 130/1 The retrogradation of starch is a reversible phenomenon between 0° and 150°.
1997 J. Steingarten Man who ate Everything (1998) i. 54 Cooling the potato slices after the starch has gelled causes a process called retrogradation to take place; the starch molecules bond to one another and lose much of their ability to dissolve again in water or milk.
2009 Food Chem. 116 137 Differential scanning calorimetry was used to analyze gelatinization and retrogradation of waxy rice starch.
4. † a. The action or fact of moving or drawing back or backwards; an instance of this. Cf. retrogression n. 1a. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > backward movement > [noun]
retreat1594
reciprocation1603
retrocession1642
retrogradation1644
disadvancing1659
retrocedence1703
retrogression1704
backening1748
backwarding1765
throwback1851
1644 K. Digby Two Treat. i. xx. 178 Atomes..in a motion of retrogradation backe to their owne north pole.
a1646 J. Gregory Posthuma (1649) 37 The most visible part..that which would bee most of all observed was the Retrogradation of the shadow.
1748 S. Richardson Clarissa IV. xxix. 174 She..Did it before she was aware. Lady-Pride, Belford!—Recollection, then Retrogradation!
1790 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 81 22 I have said above, that hemp and gut have only a very little retrogradation.
1821 New Monthly Mag. 2 60 The retrogradation of the American Indians upon their woods and wildernesses.
1843 A. Sedgwick Let. in Life (1890) II. 63 Never having once fallen during my retrogradations before the face of the Queen.
b. Physical Geography. Upstream or landward movement of a feature as a result of erosion; esp. the landward retreat of a beach or coastline caused by wave erosion (contrasted with progradation n.). Also: retreat of a glacier.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > formation of features > erosion or weathering > [noun] > wave erosion
retrograding1582
retrogradation1831
1831 Philos. Mag. 2nd Ser. 9 267 I must confess my doubts whether the Falls actually do recede... I suspect that some partial degradation of the strata has here been mistaken for the general retrogradation.
1883 Proc. Davenport Acad. Nat. Sci. 3 5 The ancient miners of Lake Superior must have been there soon after the retrogradation of the glaciers.
1910 W. M. Davis in Bull. Amer. Geogr. Soc. 42 415 Retrogradation and progradation of a shore line by marine action correspond to degradation and aggradation of a valley floor by a stream.
1954 W. D. Thornbury Princ. Geomorphol. xvii. 442 Retrogradation of a shore line may go on so rapidly that small streams are unable to keep pace in downcutting with the rate of sea-cliff recession.
1997 Jrnl. Coastal Res. 13 511/1 These factors..have caused accelerated erosion during this century at both Nile promontories, and retrogradation of extensive sectors of the delta.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.?c1450