Retract

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /rəˈtrækt/
• Rhymes: -ækt

Origin

From Late Latin rētractō ("I undertake again; I withdraw, refuse, decline; I retract"), from Latin retractus ("withdrawn"), perfect passive participle of retrahō ("I draw or pull back, withdraw; I call back, remove").

Full definition of retract

Verb

1. (transitive) To pull back inside.An airplane retracts its wheels for flight.
2. (ambitransitive) To draw back; to draw up.Muscles retract after amputation.A cat can retract its claws.
3. (transitive) To take back or withdraw something one has said.I retract all the accusations I made about the senator and sincerely hope he won't sue me.
• Bishop StillingfleetI would as freely have retracted this charge of idolatry as I ever made it.
• GranvilleShe will, and she will not; she grants, denies,
  Consents, retracts, advances, and then flies.
4. To take back, as a grant or favour previously bestowed; to revoke.

Synonyms

• take back
• withcall
• withdraw