different between secede vs retreat

English

Etymology

From Latin secedere, from se- (“apart”) + cedere (“to go”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s??si?d/

Verb

secede (third-person singular simple present secedes, present participle seceding, simple past and past participle seceded)

1. (intransitive) To split from or to withdraw from membership of a political union, an alliance or an organisation.
   • 2007, Writers declare independence for Wirral., Wirral Globe, retrieved 11 July 2007.

     We can secede from the United Kingdom any time we want.

2. (transitive, uncommon) To split or to withdraw one or more constituent entities from membership of a political union, an alliance or an organisation.
   • 2002, Darryl E. Brock, "José Agustín Quintero: Cuban Patriot in Confederate Diplomatic Service", Cubans in the Confederacy: José Agustín Quintero, Ambrosio José Gonzales, and Loreta Janeta Velazquez, Ed. Phillip Thomas Tucker, publ. McFarland, ?ISBN, pg. 103:

     At the same time, Nolan also secretly contracted with the crafty United States Army general James Wilkinson to organize some men to secede Texas from Spanish America.

Usage notes

• For political entities, the term secede does not apply only to federal states, but also to other kinds of political unions. It is commonly used in the case of provinces seceding from a unitary state.
• 'Secede' implies conflict, which may amount to physical conflict in the case of seceding from a political or religious entity, but which otherwise amounts to some form of disagreement at least by those who secede.
• 'Withdrawal from membership' in the definition does not apply to an individual person who simply terminates membership in an organisation, but to a group which withdraws from membership to carry on related activities in a separate entity.

Related terms

• seceder
• secession

Translations

Latin

Verb

s?c?de

1. second-person singular present active imperative of s?c?d?

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret, from Latin retractus, from retraho. Doublet of retract.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???t?i?t/
• Rhymes: -i?t

Noun

retreat (plural retreats)

1. The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant.
2. The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position.
3. A peaceful, quiet place affording privacy or security.
   • 1692, Roger L'Estrange, "Fable 100: An Old Man and a Lion", Fables of Aesop, page 115

     ... he built his son a house of pleasure, on purpose to keep him out of harm's way; and spared neither art nor cost to make it a delicious retreat.

   • That pleasing shade they sought, a soft retreat / From sudden April showers, a shelter from the heat.

4. (rare and obsolete, euphemistic) A peaceful, quiet place in which to urinate and defecate: an outhouse; a lavatory.
5. A period of retirement, seclusion, or solitude.

6. A period of meditation, prayer or study.
7. Withdrawal by military force from a dangerous position or from enemy attack.

8. A signal for a military withdrawal.
9. A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base.
10. A military ceremony to lower the flag.
11. (chess) The move of a piece from a threatened position.

Related terms

• retract

Translations

Verb

retreat (third-person singular simple present retreats, present participle retreating, simple past and past participle retreated) (intransitive)

1. To withdraw from a position, go back.
   1. To withdraw militar forces

2. (of a glacier) To shrink back due to generally warmer temperatures.
3. To slope back.

   a retreating forehead

Translations

Etymology 2

re- +? treat

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?i??t?i?t/
• Rhymes: -i?t

Verb

retreat (third-person singular simple present retreats, present participle retreating, simple past and past participle retreated)

1. Alternative spelling of re-treat

Further reading

• Retreat in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Anagrams

• treater, tree rat

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Borrowed from English retreat. Doublet of retrett.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /r??tri?t/

Noun

retreat m (definite singular retreaten, indefinite plural retreater, definite plural retreatene)

1. a period of meditation, prayer or study; retreat
2. a location for such activities

Usage notes

• Prior to the 2005 spelling reform, this noun was considered grammatically neuter.

References

• “retreat” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “retreat” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Borrowed from English retreat. Doublet of retrett.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /r??tri?t/ (example of pronunciation)

Noun

retreat m (definite singular retreaten, indefinite plural retreatar, definite plural retreatane)

1. a period of meditation, prayer or study; retreat
2. a location for such activities

Usage notes

• Prior to a revision made alongside the 2005 Bokmål spelling reform, this noun was considered grammatically neuter.

References

• “retreat” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.