Leaves a job or career permanently, usually because of age; withdraws or removes oneself from an activity or place.
From Old French 'retirer,' combining 're-' (back) and 'tirer' (to draw). Originally meant 'to draw back' or 'withdraw,' later applied specifically to leaving a job permanently.
The concept of 'retirement' is surprisingly modern—before the Industrial Revolution, most people worked until they died! Pensions became common only after Bismarck created the world's first mandatory social security system in Germany in 1889, partly to appease workers.
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