RETIRE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Retire

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/rɪtˈaɪr/ /ritˈaɪr/ /rˌitˈaɪər/ Listen

verb

Retire v. t. (past & past part. retired; pres. part. retiring)

To withdraw; to take away; sometimes used reflexively. "He... retired himself, his wife, and children into a forest." "As when the sun is present all the year, And never doth retire his golden ray."

To withdraw from circulation, or from the market; to take up and pay; as, to retire bonds; to retire a note.

To cause to retire; specifically, to designate as no longer qualified for active service; to place on the retired list; as, to retire a military or naval officer.

Retire v. i.

To go back or return; to draw back or away; to keep aloof; to withdraw or retreat, as from observation; to go into privacy; as, to retire to his home; to retire from the world, or from notice. "To Una back he cast him to retire." "The mind contracts herself, and shrinketh in, And to herself she gladly doth retire."

To retreat from action or danger; to withdraw for safety or pleasure; as, to retire from battle. "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die."

To withdraw from a public station, or from business; as, having made a large fortune, he retired. "And from Britannia's public posts retire."

To recede; to fall or bend back; as, the shore of the sea retires in bays and gulfs.

To go to bed; as, he usually retires early.

Synonyms: To withdraw; leave; depart; secede; recede; retreat; retrocede.

noun

Retire n.

The act of retiring, or the state of being retired; also, a place to which one retires. (Obs.) "The battle and the retire of the English succors." "(Eve) discover'd soon the place of her retire."

(Mil.) A call sounded on a bugle, announcing to skirmishers that they are to retire, or fall back.

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Etymology of 'Retire'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Retire" Quotes from Famous Books

... Britisher coming they did not take long to get away. They knew who the flyer was, too, for a man's style in the air is always characteristic. They had heard of this flyer before. So they turned tail, and I got back with a machine out of order. 'The Prussian code of politeness,' we call it when they retire with two or three machines against one of ours. It is the respect that they show for our fighting seaplanes. Of course, this does not detract from the confidence we have ...

— Some Naval Yarns • Mordaunt Hall

... warned me that it was my usual hour to go to sleep, I resolved to eat the odd half biscuit, which I had reserved for supper; and then "retire for ...

— The Boy Tar • Mayne Reid

... afterwards, "certainly was clever. But it meant something, all the same." He heard no more, for his mistress told him to retire. ...

— The Longest Journey • E. M. Forster

... had stepped out of the long winder behind us and wuz lookin' off onto the glorified river durin' this contrary temps, and as I glanced out of the winder to look for her I see the huge form of Mr. Pomper hoverin' in the foreground, and I sez to Josiah, "I think it is time to retire and go ...

— Samantha at Coney Island - and a Thousand Other Islands • Marietta Holley

... thou canst manage such gear well—But, Gilbert, I go to visit the posts, and give them orders to retire to a safe distance when the retreat is sounded. You will allow them five minutes for ...

— Woodstock; or, The Cavalier • Sir Walter Scott

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