retract Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure
    resile; abjure; forswear; recant.
    • He retracted his earlier statements about his religion
    • She abjured her beliefs
  2. verb pull away from a source of disgust or fear
    shrink back.
  3. verb use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)
    pull back; draw back.
  4. verb pull inward or towards a center
    draw in.
    • The pilot drew in the landing gear
    • The cat retracted his claws

WordNet


Re*tract" transitive verb
Etymology
F. rétracter, L. retractare, retractatum, to handle again, reconsider, retract, fr. retrahere, retractum, to draw back. See Retreat.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Retracted; present participle & verbal noun Retracting
Definitions
  1. To draw back; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can retract its claws; to retract a muscle.
  2. Ti withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take back; as, to retract an accusation or an assertion.
    I would as freely have retracted this charge of idolatry as I ever made it. Bp. Stillingfleet.
  3. To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to revoke. Obs. Woodward. Syn. -- To recal; withdraw; rescind; revoke; unsay; disavow; recant; abjure; disown.
Re*tract" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To draw back; to draw up; as, muscles retract after amputation.
  2. To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession or a declaration.
    She will, and she will not; she grants, denies, Consents, retracts, advances, and then files. Granville.
Re*tract" noun
Definitions
  1. (Far.) The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.
Re*tract" noun
Definitions
  1. Retreat. Obs. Bacon.

Webster 1913