| backward | | |
| adj. | 1. backward | directed or facing toward the back or rear.; "a backward view" |
| ~ backswept, sweptback | used of hair. |
| ~ cacuminal, retroflex | pronounced with the tip of the tongue turned back toward the hard palate. |
| ~ transposed, converse, reversed | turned about in order or relation.; "transposed letters" |
| ~ inverse, reverse | reversed (turned backward) in order or nature or effect. |
| ~ reverse, rearward | directed or moving toward the rear.; "a rearward glance"; "a rearward movement" |
| ~ receding | (of a hairline e.g.) moving slowly back. |
| ~ self-referent, reflexive | referring back to itself. |
| ~ regardant | looking backward. |
| ~ retracted | drawn back and in.; "a cat with retracted claws" |
| ~ retral, retrograde | moving or directed or tending in a backward direction or contrary to a previous direction. |
| ~ retroflex, retroflexed | bent or curved backward. |
| ~ reversive, returning | tending to be turned back. |
| ~ regressive | opposing progress; returning to a former less advanced state. |
| ~ retrospective | concerned with or related to the past.; "retrospective self-justification" |
| adj. | 2. backward | (used of temperament or behavior) marked by a retiring nature.; "a backward lover" |
| ~ blate, bashful | disposed to avoid notice.; "they considered themselves a tough outfit and weren't bashful about letting anybody know it" |
| ~ timid | showing fear and lack of confidence. |
| adj. | 3. backward, feebleminded, half-witted, slow-witted | retarded in intellectual development. |
| ~ archaicism, archaism | the use of an archaic expression. |
| ~ retarded | relatively slow in mental or emotional or physical development.; "providing a secure and sometimes happy life for the retarded" |
| adj. | 4. backward | having made less than normal progress.; "an economically backward country" |
| ~ adynamic, undynamic | characterized by an absence of force or forcefulness. |
| adv. | 5. back, backward, backwards, rearward, rearwards | at or to or toward the back or rear.; "he moved back"; "tripped when he stepped backward"; "she looked rearward out the window of the car" |
| adv. | 6. backward, backwards | in a manner or order or direction the reverse of normal.; "it's easy to get the `i' and the `e' backward in words like `seize' and `siege'"; "the child put her jersey on backward" |
| adv. | 7. back, backward | in or to or toward a past time.; "set the clocks back an hour"; "never look back"; "lovers of the past looking fondly backward" |
| pull back | | |
| v. (motion) | 1. draw back, move back, pull away, pull back, recede, retire, retreat, withdraw | pull back or move away or backward.; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb" |
| ~ back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, back out, retreat, pull back, withdraw | make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity.; "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"; "He backed out of his earlier promise"; "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns" |
| ~ go, locomote, move, travel | change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically.; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" |
| ~ fall back | move back and away from.; "The enemy fell back" |
| ~ retreat, retrograde | move back.; "The glacier retrogrades" |
| ~ back down, back off, back up | move backwards from a certain position.; "The bully had to back down" |
| v. (contact) | 2. draw back, pull back, retract | use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ). |
| ~ pull | apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion.; "Pull the rope"; "Pull the handle towards you"; "pull the string gently"; "pull the trigger of the gun"; "pull your knees towards your chin" |
| v. (contact) | 3. pull back | move to a rearward position; pull towards the back.; "Pull back your arms!" |
| ~ pull back, draw | stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow).; "The archers were drawing their bows" |
| ~ draw, pull, force | cause to move by pulling.; "draw a wagon"; "pull a sled" |
| v. (contact) | 4. draw, pull back | stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow).; "The archers were drawing their bows" |
| ~ pull back | move to a rearward position; pull towards the back.; "Pull back your arms!" |
| ~ stretch | pull in opposite directions.; "During the Inquisition, the torturers would stretch their victims on a rack" |
| v. (communication) | 5. back away, back out, crawfish, crawfish out, pull back, pull in one's horns, retreat, withdraw | make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity.; "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"; "He backed out of his earlier promise"; "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns" |
| ~ draw back, move back, pull away, pull back, recede, retreat, withdraw, retire | pull back or move away or backward.; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb" |
| recede | | |
| v. (competition) | 1. drop off, fall back, fall behind, lose, recede | retreat. |
| ~ retrogress, regress, retrograde | get worse or fall back to a previous condition. |
| v. (change) | 2. recede | become faint or more distant.; "the unhappy memories of her childhood receded as she grew older" |
| ~ change | undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature.; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" |
| ~ ebb | fall away or decline.; "The patient's strength ebbed away" |
| retreat | | |
| n. (act) | 1. retreat | (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" |
| ~ withdrawal | the act of withdrawing.; "the withdrawal of French troops from Vietnam" |
| ~ fallback, pullout, disengagement | to break off a military action with an enemy. |
| ~ armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine | the military forces of a nation.; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" |
| n. (location) | 2. retreat | a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet. |
| ~ area, country | a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).; "it was a mountainous area"; "Bible country" |
| ~ ashram | (India) a place of religious retreat for Hindus. |
| ~ ashram | a place of religious retreat modeled after the Indian ashram. |
| ~ camp david | a retreat to the northwest of Washington that is used by the president of the United States. |
| ~ nook | a sheltered and secluded place. |
| ~ nest | a cosy or secluded retreat. |
| ~ pleasance | a pleasant and secluded part of a garden; usually attached to a mansion. |
| ~ sanctum, sanctum sanctorum | a place of inviolable privacy.; "he withdrew to his sanctum sanctorum, where the children could never go" |
| n. (communication) | 3. retreat | (military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous position. |
| ~ signal, signaling, sign | any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message.; "signals from the boat suddenly stopped" |
| ~ armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine | the military forces of a nation.; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" |
| n. (communication) | 4. retreat | (military) a bugle call signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset. |
| ~ bugle call | a signal broadcast by the sound of a bugle. |
| ~ armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine | the military forces of a nation.; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" |
| n. (artifact) | 5. hideaway, retreat | an area where you can be alone. |
| ~ area | a part of a structure having some specific characteristic or function.; "the spacious cooking area provided plenty of room for servants" |
| n. (act) | 6. retirement, retreat | withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation.; "the religious retreat is a form of vacation activity" |
| ~ withdrawal | the act of withdrawing.; "the withdrawal of French troops from Vietnam" |
| n. (act) | 7. retreat | the act of withdrawing or going backward (especially to escape something hazardous or unpleasant). |
| ~ withdrawal | the act of withdrawing.; "the withdrawal of French troops from Vietnam" |
| v. (motion) | 8. retreat | move away, as for privacy.; "The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer" |
| ~ go, locomote, move, travel | change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically.; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" |
| ~ cocoon | retreat as if into a cocoon, as from an unfriendly environment.; "Families cocoon around the T.V. set most evenings"; "She loves to stay at home and cocoon" |
| v. (motion) | 9. retreat, retrograde | move back.; "The glacier retrogrades" |
| ~ draw back, move back, pull away, pull back, recede, retreat, withdraw, retire | pull back or move away or backward.; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb" |
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