> as lemmas

1594 R. Carew tr. T. Tasso Godfrey of Bulloigne v. 218 Nor any let could make [him] his steps retrace From path, which God points holy thoughts t'ensew [It. Ne impedimento alcun torcer da l'orme Puote, che Dio ne segna, i pensier santi].

1659 T. St. Serfe tr. S. de Cyrano de Bergerac Σεληναρχια sig. E6 You were to day an old rawbon'd man, and now you are a youth. How's this?.. The Creatures of this World from old age retrace the steps of youth.

1717 Let. to Rev. Dr. Snape 2 This being..as necessary, as for a Traveller, who has wander'd into a narrow Lane that leads to a Precipice, to retrace his Steps, if he desires to arrive in Safety at his Journey's End.

1740 C. Pitt tr. Virgil Æneid II. ix. 415 He retrac'd his former Steps, and trod, Once more, the winding Mazes of the Wood.

1784 T. Holcroft tr. Foucher d'Obsonville Philos. Ess. Foreign Animals 75 Many species of animal..have the power to direct their steps and retrace their route, by efforts of memory.

1814 H. F. Cary tr. Dante Vision I. i. 33 With purpose to retrace my steps, I turn'd.

1846 H. H. Wilson Hist. Brit. India 1805–35 II. vii. 293 The nature of the country precluding a forward movement, he retraced his march.

1899 D. S. Jordan Imperial Democracy iii. 63 We should know clearly our final intentions as a nation, for it is never easy to retrace false steps.

1923 National Geographic Mag. Apr. 397/1 No passenger need retrace a step—ticket window, Pullman office, checking-room, all coming in their order on the traveler's way to his train.

1948 ‘R. Crompton’ Family Roundabout xxiv. 267 She walked several yards past the gate of The Beeches and had to retrace her steps.

1991 New Yorker 2 Sept. 29/1 That doesn't mean wanting to repeat the past; it means retracing our footsteps to the point where we took a wrong turn and lost our way.

2008 C. Paolini Brisingr 509 Having searched all of the houses, the mass of soldiers retraced their steps to the center of the village.