retreat

v. draw back, withdraw, pull back, depart

n. withdrawal, act of drawing back; sanctuary, refuge, haven; period of seclusion for study or prayer

Retreat may refer to:Retreat (spiritual), a religious or spiritual term for time taken to reflect or meditateRetreat (military), a withdrawal of military forcesBugle call, a military signal for the end of dayThe Retreat, a private mental hospital in York, England, founded in 1796Cape Town, suburb in South AfricaRetreat, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Vernon County, Wisconsin
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Noun
1. (military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat; "the disorderly retreat of French troops"
(hypernym) withdrawal
(hyponym) disengagement, fallback, pullout
(classification) military, armed forces, armed services, military machine, war machine
2. a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet
(hypernym) area, country
(hyponym) Camp David
3. (military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous position
(hypernym) signal, signaling, sign
(classification) military, armed forces, armed services, military machine, war machine
4. (military) a bugle call signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset
(hypernym) bugle call
(classification) military, armed forces, armed services, military machine, war machine
5. an area where you can be alone
(synonym) hideaway
(hypernym) area
6. withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation; "a religious retreat"
(synonym) retirement
(hypernym) withdrawal
Verb
1. pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb"
(synonym) withdraw, pull away, draw back, recede, pull back, retire, move back
(hypernym) travel, go, move, locomote
(hyponym) recede, fall back, retire
(verb-group) pull back, back out, back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, withdraw
2. move away, as for privacy; "The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer"
(hypernym) travel, go, move, locomote
(hyponym) cocoon
(derivation) hideaway
3. move back; "The glacier retrogrades"
(synonym) retrograde
(hypernym) recede, fall back, retire
4. make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity; "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"; "He backed out of his earlier promise"; "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns"
(synonym) pull back, back out, back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, withdraw
(verb-group) withdraw, pull away, draw back, recede, pull back, retire, move back

(v. i.)
To make a retreat; to retire from any position or place; to withdraw; as, the defeated army retreated from the field.
  

(n.)
The withdrawing of a ship or fleet from an enemy for the purpose of avoiding an engagement or escaping after defeat.
  

(n.)
The retiring of an army or body of men from the face of an enemy, or from any ground occupied to a greater distance from the enemy, or from an advanced position.
  

(n.)
The place to which anyone retires; a place or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum.
  

(n.)
The act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable.
  

(n.)
A special season of solitude and silence to engage in religious exercises.
  

(n.)
A signal given in the army or navy, by the beat of a drum or the sounding of trumpet or bugle, at sunset (when the roll is called), or for retiring from action.
  

(n.)
A period of several days of withdrawal from society to a religious house for exclusive occupation in the duties of devotion; as, to appoint or observe a retreat.
  

san1 shi2 liu4 ji4, zou3 wei2 shang4 ji4
Out of thirty-six strategies, retreat is the best.
(No further explanation)

wu3 shi2 bu4 xiao4 bai3 bu4
One that retreats fifty steps laughs at one who does a hundred.
This expression refers to two persons who have both made mistakes, though the mistakes of one may be less serious than the other's. The pot calls the kettle black.

po4 fu3 chen2 zhou1
Breaking the woks and sinking the boats.
To burn one's boats. Break the pans and sink the boats, since we will either win or die, but never retreat to this camp! Describing a person with the strong conviction of never to retreat. Determination to fight a decisive battle.