retire
pronunciation
How to pronounce retire in British English:
UK [rɪˈtaɪə(r)]
How to pronounce retire in American English:
US [rɪˈtaɪər]
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- Verb:
- go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position
- withdraw from active participation
- pull back or move away or backward
- move back and away from
- withdraw from circulation or from the market, as of bills, shares, and bonds
- break from a meeting or gathering
- make (someone) retire
- dispose of; as of old clothes
- lose interest
- cause to be out on a fielding play
- cause to retire
- go to bed in order to sleep
Word Origin
- retire (v.)
- 1530s, of armies, "to retreat," from Middle French retirer "to withdraw (something)," from re- "back" (see re-) + Old French tirer "to draw" (see tirade). Related: Retired; retiring. Meaning "to withdraw" to some place, especially for the sake of privacy, is recorded from 1530s; sense of "leave an occupation" first attested 1640s (implied in retirement). Meaning "to leave company and go to bed" is from 1660s. Transitive sense is from 1540s, originally "withdraw, lead back" (troops, etc.); meaning "to remove from active service" is from 1680s. Baseball sense of "to put out" is recorded from 1874.
Example
- 1. Many people worry about their finances when they retire .
- 2. Don 't you want one more shot at a ring before you retire ?
- 3. After a nap , television entertains the apprentices until they eat dinner and retire .
- 4. Republicans have promised to retire him .
- 5. And he is ready to retire soon .