Retract
verb
To pull something back or in.
The cat retracted its claws.
verb
To take back a statement or belief previously expressed, especially formally or publicly.
The newspaper had to retract the false accusations.
Often appears as...
- retract a statement
- retract an allegation
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To make less visible or more discreet.
He decided to retract his upset feelings.
verb
To pull something back or in.
The cat retracted its claws.
verb
To take back a statement or belief previously expressed, especially formally or publicly.
The newspaper had to retract the false accusations.
Often appears as...
- retract a statement
- retract an allegation
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To make less visible or more discreet.
He decided to retract his upset feelings.
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Retraction
Used when something physically moves back or re-enters its previous position.
She retracted her hand from the flame.
Pro Tip 2/3Safety Mechanism
Often relates to devices or parts designed to retract for safety or convenience.
The seatbelt automatically retracts after being unbuckled.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Movement
Refers to small movements, not necessarily the whole object withdrawing.
The turtle retracted its head into its shell.
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Retraction
Used when something physically moves back or re-enters its previous position.
She retracted her hand from the flame.
Pro Tip 2/3Safety Mechanism
Often relates to devices or parts designed to retract for safety or convenience.
The seatbelt automatically retracts after being unbuckled.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Movement
Refers to small movements, not necessarily the whole object withdrawing.
The turtle retracted its head into its shell.
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Retraction
Used when something physically moves back or re-enters its previous position.
She retracted her hand from the flame.
Pro Tip 2/3Safety Mechanism
Often relates to devices or parts designed to retract for safety or convenience.
The seatbelt automatically retracts after being unbuckled.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Movement
Refers to small movements, not necessarily the whole object withdrawing.
The turtle retracted its head into its shell.
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Video examples
The physics of the...
When the leg comes back in towards the body, that stored momentum gets transferred back to the dancer's body, propelling her around as she rises back onto pointe. As the ballerina extends and retracts her leg with each turn, momentum travels back and forth between leg and body, keeping her in motion.
Video examples
Why are fish fish-shaped?...
A pufferfish may occasionally look more like a lethal balloon, but if it needs to swim rapidly, it’ll retract its spines. Handfish look like they have legs, but really these limb-like structures are fins, modified to help them amble across the sea floor. For fish, motion underpins survival,
Video examples
Cheetah Problems PIPE Five...
revealed the superb running skills of both animals the gazelles sharp pointed hooves helped it change direction in a heartbeat the shooter can only keep up by using its tail like a rudder it's also helped by having paws that don't retract the
Video examples
Militant atheism PIPE...
blurted out in the heat of the moment and later retracted. He stood by it in the face of repeated calls for clarification or withdrawal. He really meant it. More to the point, he knew it posed no threat to his election -- quite the contrary.
Video examples
Steve Silberman: The...
had not been vaccinated because their parents were afraid of something allegedly even autism. But wait -- wasn't the paper that sparked the controversy about autism and vaccines debunked, retracted, and branded a deliberate fraud
Video examples
Killer Cone Snails PIPE...
when some cone snails go hunting they like to burrow into the sand and wait when a meal happens by the cone snail fires its harpoon the poisons quickly paralyze the fish once its prey is helpless the cone snail retracts it
Video examples
Poison in a Cone PIPE...
when a meal happens by the cone snail fires its harpoon the poisons quickly paralyze the fish once its prey is helpless the cone snail retracts it through its proboscis until it engulfs the fish swallowing it whole
Video examples
The power of citizen...
And the federal government had to retract their statement. Now, justice for the people for Oaxaca is still far off, but their stories, their truths, can no longer be denied. So we started
Video examples
Mattias Klum: Lions,...
beautiful but at the same times it's it's a sad feeling because again this this glacier and all our glaciers in the world most of them retract very very
Video examples
TEDWomen 2015 in review...
retracted novels and we're still feminists thank God for that well by the way God is still a man so sorry about that that's not that hasn't changed
Video examples
The physics of the...
When the leg comes back in towards the body, that stored momentum gets transferred back to the dancer's body, propelling her around as she rises back onto pointe. As the ballerina extends and retracts her leg with each turn, momentum travels back and forth between leg and body, keeping her in motion.
Video examples
Why are fish fish-shaped?...
A pufferfish may occasionally look more like a lethal balloon, but if it needs to swim rapidly, it’ll retract its spines. Handfish look like they have legs, but really these limb-like structures are fins, modified to help them amble across the sea floor. For fish, motion underpins survival,
Video examples
Cheetah Problems PIPE Five...
revealed the superb running skills of both animals the gazelles sharp pointed hooves helped it change direction in a heartbeat the shooter can only keep up by using its tail like a rudder it's also helped by having paws that don't retract the
Video examples
Militant atheism PIPE...
blurted out in the heat of the moment and later retracted. He stood by it in the face of repeated calls for clarification or withdrawal. He really meant it. More to the point, he knew it posed no threat to his election -- quite the contrary.
Video examples
Steve Silberman: The...
had not been vaccinated because their parents were afraid of something allegedly even autism. But wait -- wasn't the paper that sparked the controversy about autism and vaccines debunked, retracted, and branded a deliberate fraud
Video examples
Killer Cone Snails PIPE...
when some cone snails go hunting they like to burrow into the sand and wait when a meal happens by the cone snail fires its harpoon the poisons quickly paralyze the fish once its prey is helpless the cone snail retracts it
Video examples
Poison in a Cone PIPE...
when a meal happens by the cone snail fires its harpoon the poisons quickly paralyze the fish once its prey is helpless the cone snail retracts it through its proboscis until it engulfs the fish swallowing it whole
Video examples
The power of citizen...
And the federal government had to retract their statement. Now, justice for the people for Oaxaca is still far off, but their stories, their truths, can no longer be denied. So we started
Video examples
Mattias Klum: Lions,...
beautiful but at the same times it's it's a sad feeling because again this this glacier and all our glaciers in the world most of them retract very very
Video examples
TEDWomen 2015 in review...
retracted novels and we're still feminists thank God for that well by the way God is still a man so sorry about that that's not that hasn't changed
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
J. Courtney Sullivan
American Novelist
For my seventh birthday, my parents gave me a plain, unfinished wooden dollhouse. It had six empty rooms, two floors, a staircase, and a door that swung out onto a little front stoop. The windows opened, and the roof retracted on one side, revealing an attic.
Quote examples
Gemma Collins
English Celebrity
I believe there are lizards living amongst us. Do these humans who appear to be humans and look like us and act like us, go into the tunnels where their human faces, their human bodies - do they retract back into being lizards when they go into the tunnels?
Quote examples
Mary Hart
American Entertainer
I can't think of a major story that we have broken that was incorrect. But we have had to correct some things that were false; we have had to retract things.
Quote examples
Jerry Saltz
American Critic
The forties, seventies, and the nineties, when money was scarce, were great periods, when the art world retracted but it was also reborn.
Quote examples
Antara Mali
Indian Actress
I'm a private person. I am not too much of a media person also. I talk only when I want to, otherwise I retract quietly.
Quote examples
Michael Palin
British Comedian
People say the most stupid things on the spur of the moment that they then have to retract.
Quote examples
Joseph Joubert
French Writer
Those who never retract their opinions love themselves more than they love the truth.
Quote examples
Ze Frank
American Comedian
The story of technology seems to go up and then retract into simplicity again.
Quote examples
Napoleon Bonaparte
French Statesman
In politics... never retreat, never retract... never admit a mistake.
Quote examples
Solomon Ibn Gabirol
Spanish Poet
I am better able to retract what I did not say than what I did.
Quote examples
J. Courtney Sullivan
American Novelist
For my seventh birthday, my parents gave me a plain, unfinished wooden dollhouse. It had six empty rooms, two floors, a staircase, and a door that swung out onto a little front stoop. The windows opened, and the roof retracted on one side, revealing an attic.
Quote examples
Gemma Collins
English Celebrity
I believe there are lizards living amongst us. Do these humans who appear to be humans and look like us and act like us, go into the tunnels where their human faces, their human bodies - do they retract back into being lizards when they go into the tunnels?
Quote examples
Mary Hart
American Entertainer
I can't think of a major story that we have broken that was incorrect. But we have had to correct some things that were false; we have had to retract things.
Quote examples
Jerry Saltz
American Critic
The forties, seventies, and the nineties, when money was scarce, were great periods, when the art world retracted but it was also reborn.
Quote examples
Antara Mali
Indian Actress
I'm a private person. I am not too much of a media person also. I talk only when I want to, otherwise I retract quietly.
Quote examples
Michael Palin
British Comedian
People say the most stupid things on the spur of the moment that they then have to retract.
Quote examples
Joseph Joubert
French Writer
Those who never retract their opinions love themselves more than they love the truth.
Quote examples
Ze Frank
American Comedian
The story of technology seems to go up and then retract into simplicity again.
Quote examples
Napoleon Bonaparte
French Statesman
In politics... never retreat, never retract... never admit a mistake.
Quote examples
Solomon Ibn Gabirol
Spanish Poet
I am better able to retract what I did not say than what I did.
Example 1 of 10
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