retract
/rɪˈtrakt
/- The parachute had retracted in a mere fraction of a second, so quickly that Alan barely saw it withdraw.
- Once its trajectory was straightened out, the wings of the plane retracted to the sides, for they would only slow it down.
- With the push of a button, a section of the teak aft sun deck retracts and is replaced with an artificial grass surface replete with automatic golf tees that pop up 500 floating golf balls.
Synonyms
- They then retracted their statement and said that some of the injuries were old.
- By retracting his confession he lost the opportunity of being considered for parole.
- He said: "I do not retract what I have put in writing."
Synonyms
- The seller, John Leitch, did send in a link to the auction page earlier this morning showing £110,000 had been bid and the reserve met - but this bid was later retracted.
- Your Honours, I made some concessions either explicit or implicit on the last occasion which I wish to retract.
- Several weeks later, Pioneer retracted its decision, allegedly due to concern about unfavorable publicity and pressure from its labor union.
Derivatives
retractive
- It would require a sudden transformation of forelimbs from a retractive, terrestrial, weight-bearing stroke to a depressive, protractive, aerial, thrust-generating stroke.
- Elastic fibers and alveolar myofibroblasts localize to ends and bends where retractive forces develop during inspiration, but not at junctions, which are reinforced with collagen fibers.
- Propulsive and retractive forces are each capable of damaging the nerves, but significant damage is most likely to occur when these forces are combined.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin retract- 'drawn back', from the verb retrahere (from re- 'back' + trahere 'drag'); the senses 'withdraw (a statement') and 'go back on' via Old French from retractare 'reconsider' (based on trahere 'drag').
abstract from Middle English:
The Latin source of abstract, meant literally ‘drawn away’ and is from abstrahere, from the elements ab- ‘from’ and trahere ‘draw off’. The use in art dates from the mid 19th century. Trahere is found in many English words including: attract (Late Middle English) with ad ‘to’; portrait (mid 16th century), something drawn; protract (mid 16th century) with pro ‘out’; retract (Late Middle English) and retreat (Late Middle English) both drawing back; and words listed at train.