| retreat | 1. The act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable. "In a retreat he otruns any lackey." (Shak) 2. The place to which anyone retires; a place or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum. "He built his son a house of pleasure, and spared no cost to make a delicious retreat." (L'Estrange) "That pleasing shade they sought, a soft retreat From sudden April showers, a shelter from the heat." (Dryden) 3. <astronomy> 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. The withdrawing of a ship or fleet from an enemy for the purpose of avoiding an engagement or escaping after defeat. 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. A retreat is properly an orderly march, in which circumstance it differs from a flight. 4. A special season of solitude and silence to engage in religious exercises. 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. Synonym: Retirement, departure, withdrawment, seclusion, solitude, privacy, asylum, shelter, refuge. Origin: F. Retraite, fr. Retraire to withdraw, L. Retrahere; pref. Re- re- + trahere to draw. See Trace, and cf. Retract, Retrace. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| retreat from reality | Substitution of imaginary satisfactions or fantasy for relations with the real world. (05 Mar 2000) |
| retreatment | The therapy of the same disease in a patient, with the same agent or procedure repeated after initial treatment, or with an additional or alternate measure or follow-up. It does not include therapy which requires more than one administration of a therapeutic agent or regimen. Retreatment is often used with reference to a different modality when the original one was inadequate, harmful, or unsuccessful. (12 Dec 1998) |