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
2.a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet
3.(military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous position
4.(military) a bugle call signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset
5.an area where you can be alone
6.withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation;
a religious retreat
1.pull back or move away or backward;
The enemy withdrew
2.move away, as for privacy;
The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer
3.move back;
The glacier retrogrades
4.make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity;
We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him