1. (v. t.) To take back; as to retract a statement\; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can retract its claws; to retract a muscle.

2. (v. t.) To withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take back; as, to retract an accusation or an assertion.

3. (v. t.) To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to revoke.

4. (v. i.) To draw back; to draw up; as, muscles retract after amputation.

5. (v. i.) To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession or a declaration.

6. (n.) The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.

abandon abjure abolish abrogate annul assert the contrary back back down back out backwater belie cancel cede climb down contest contradict contravene controvert counter countermand counterorder crawfish out cringe cross deny disaffirm disallow disannul disavow disclaim disgorge disown dispense with dispose of disprove dispute do away with do without draw back draw in drop duck dump eat crow eat humble pie fall back flinch forgo forswear gainsay get along without get rid of give away give up have done with impugn invalidate join issue upon kiss good-bye make a sacrifice make void not accept not admit nullify oppose override overrule palinode part with pull back pull in pull out quitclaim recall recant refuse to admit refute relinquish render up renege renounce repeal repudiate rescind resign retreat retrocede retrograde reverse revoke sacrifice set aside shrink shy spare surrender suspend swallow swear off take take back take issue with throw up unsay vacate void waive wince withdraw write off yield