> as lemmas

1577 R. Holinshed Chron. II. 1774/2 The gouernors..did cause a retire to be sounded, & withall three or four of the canons in y^e market place, to be turned vpon Webs tower.

a1591 H. Smith Serm. (1593) 984 Therefore hee might well sound the retire of wisdome.

1596 Raigne of Edward III sig. I2 Our drums strike nothing but discouragement, Our trumpets sound dishonor, and retire . View more context for this quotation

1831 J. Cooke Mem. Late War iii. 54 Sir James Kempt..had now ordered a bugler to sound the ‘retire’, after two hours' fighting.

1842 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. 39 ii. 189 The ‘retire’ was heard by us, but answered with the ‘advance’, for I knew all was right.

1885 in B. St. J. Bellairs Transvaal War 249 An ambuscade being feared, the ‘retire’ was sounded from the fort.

1901 E. Nesbit Wouldbegoods 45 Oswald cannot play the ‘retire’, and he would scorn to do so. But I suppose a bugler has to play what he is told, no matter how galling.

1953 Official Programme Royal Tournament Earls Court 23 On the ‘Retire’ being sounded the gun is taken back over the enemy wall.

2008 M. Snook Into Jaws of Death 39 The officers..cocked their ears between volleys to take in the sound of a bugle call. They identified it as the ‘Retire’ and sensed that it was coming from somewhere near Colonel Pulleine's position.