Moved backward away from danger or an enemy; withdrew from a situation, either physically or emotionally.
From Old French 'retraite,' from Latin 'retrahere' (to draw back). The word originally described military withdrawals but expanded to describe any kind of backing away or withdrawal.
A 'retreat' can mean both running away from danger AND a peaceful place to go rest—that's because retreat has always meant 'going back,' but context determines whether you're fleeing something bad or returning to something good.
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