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   Re·tract

   /rəˈtrak(t)/

   

   verb

   • 1. draw back: "she retracted her hand as if she'd been burnt" Similar pull indraw inpull backsheatheput awayOpposite extend
   • ▪ (of an animal) draw (a part of itself) back into its body: "the cat retracted her claws" Similar pull indraw inpull backsheatheput awayOpposite extend
   • 2. withdraw (a statement or accusation) as untrue or unjustified: "he retracted his allegations" Similar take backwithdrawunsayrecantdisowndisavowdisclaimabjurerepudiaterenouncereverserevokerescindannulcancelgo back onbacktrack ondo a U-turn onrow back oneat one's wordsdo an about-turn onOpposite assertconfirm
   • ▪ withdraw or go back on (an undertaking): "the parish council was forced to retract a previous resolution"

   Word Origin late Middle English: from Latin retract- ‘drawn back’, from the verb retrahere (from re- ‘back’ + trahere ‘drag’); the senses ‘withdraw (a statement’) and ‘go back on’ via Old French from retractare ‘reconsider’ (based on trahere ‘drag’).

   Derivatives

   • 1. retractive adjective

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   • T

     1

   • R

     1

   • A

     1

   • C

     3

   • T

     1

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