retire

¹

[ ri-tahyuhr ]

verb (used without object)

, re·tired, re·tir·ing.

1. to withdraw from one's career, occupation, or office, usually because of age:

   to retire at the age of sixty.

2. to withdraw, or go away or apart, to a place of privacy, shelter, or seclusion:

   He retired to his study.

3. to go to bed:

   He retired at midnight.

4. to fall back or retreat in an orderly fashion and according to plan, as from battle, an untenable position, danger, etc.
5. to withdraw or remove oneself:

   After announcing the guests, the butler retired.

   Synonyms: withdraw, leave

verb (used with object)

, re·tired, re·tir·ing.

1. to withdraw from circulation by taking up and paying, as bonds, bills, etc.; redeem.
2. to withdraw or lead back (troops, ships, etc.), as from battle or danger; retreat.
3. to remove from active service or the usual field of activity, as an army officer or business executive.
4. to withdraw (a machine, ship, etc.) permanently from its normal service, usually for scrapping; take out of use.
5. Baseball, Cricket. to put out or end the offensive play of (a batter, runner, side, etc.):

   The pitcher’s on fire, retiring the last five hitters with strikeouts.

   With two runners stranded on base, the side is retired.

noun

, Literary.

1. a place of withdrawal; retreat:

   a cool retire from summer's heat.

2. retirement or withdrawal, as from worldly matters or the company of others.

retiré

²

[ French ruh-tee-rey ]

noun

, Ballet.

, plural re·ti·rés [r, uh, -tee-, rey].

1. a movement in which the dancer brings one foot to the knee of the supporting leg and then returns it to the fifth position.

retire

/ rɪˈtaɪə /

verb

1. also tr to give up or to cause (a person) to give up his work, a post, etc, esp on reaching pensionable age (in Britain and Australia usually 65 for men, 60 for women)
2. to go away, as into seclusion, for recuperation, etc
3. to go to bed
4. to recede or disappear

   the sun retired behind the clouds

5. to withdraw from a sporting contest, esp because of injury
6. also tr to pull back (troops, etc) from battle or an exposed position or (of troops, etc) to fall back
7. tr
   1. to remove (bills, bonds, shares, etc) from circulation by taking them up and paying for them
   2. to remove (money) from circulation

Derived Forms

• reˈtirer, noun

Other Words From

• re·tir·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of retire¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French retirer “to withdraw, pull back,” equivalent to re- re- + tirer “to draw”

Origin of retire²

< French, past participle of retirer to retire

Word History and Origins

Origin of retire¹

C16: from French retirer, from Old French re- + tirer to pull, draw

Synonym Study

See depart.

Example Sentences

The Chinook and Puma helicopters being retired have been in use for decades.

From BBC

Fast forward a couple of decades and he is retiring as one of the most recognisable athletes on the planet.

From BBC

“They really are scared,” toxicologist Dan Costa, who retired from EPA in 2018, says of the agency researchers he’s in touch with.

From Science Magazine

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, will retire from tennis after representing his nation at the men's team event in Malaga.

From BBC

One of Scotland's oldest lifeline ferries has been retired after nearly 40 years of service.

From BBC

Related Words

• depart
• go
• pull out
• relinquish
• remove
• retreat
• separate
• surrender
• withdraw