From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Retract \Re*tract"\, n. (Far.)
The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Retract \Re*tract"\, v. i.
1. To draw back; to draw up; as, muscles retract after
amputation.
[1913 Webster]
2. To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession
or a declaration.
[1913 Webster]
She will, and she will not; she grants, denies,
Consents, retracts, advances, and then files.
--Granville.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Retract \Re*tract"\ (r[-e]*tr[=a]kt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
{Retracted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Retracting}.] [F. r['e]tracter,
L. retractare, retractatum, to handle again, reconsider,
retract, fr. retrahere, retractum, to draw back. See
{Retreat}.]
1. To draw back; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can
retract its claws; to retract a muscle.
[1913 Webster]
2. To withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take
back; as, to retract an accusation or an assertion.
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I would as freely have retracted this charge of
idolatry as I ever made it. --Bp.
Stillingfleet.
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3. To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to
revoke. [Obs.] --Woodward.
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Syn: To recall; withdraw; rescind; revoke; unsay; disavow;
recant; abjure; disown.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
retract
v 1: formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually
under pressure; "He retracted his earlier statements about
his religion"; "She abjured her beliefs" [syn: {abjure},
{recant}, {forswear}, {retract}, {resile}]
2: pull away from a source of disgust or fear [syn: {shrink
back}, {retract}]
3: use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound
or an organ) [syn: {retract}, {pull back}, {draw back}]
4: pull inward or towards a center; "The pilot drew in the
landing gear"; "The cat retracted his claws" [syn: {draw in},
{retract}]
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