verb

retire

to retire, to go to bed, to withdraw

He will retire next year.

He will retire next year.

She retired to her room after dinner.

She retired to her room after dinner.

The driver had to retire from the race.

The driver had to retire from the race.

((from sth.)) to stop working from a job or company She retired from teaching last year.

((to sth.)) to go to a place for rest or privacy He retired to the library for some quiet.

Synonyms: withdraw, leave, step down; Antonyms: work, continue

From Old French 'retirer', meaning 'to draw back'. It's formed from 're-' (back) and 'tirer' (to draw).

Think of it as being 're-tired' – tired again, so you have to stop working. This can help you remember the main meaning.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.