Re"tro*grade (?), a. [L. retrogradus, from retrogradi, retrogressus, to
retrograde; retro back + gradi to step: cf. F. rétrograde. See Grade.]
1. (Astron.) Apparently moving backward, and contrary to the succession
of the signs, that is, from east to west, as a planet. Hutton.
And if he be in the west side in that condition, then is he
retrograde.
Chaucer.
2. Tending or moving backward; having a backward course; contrary; as,
a retrograde motion; -- opposed to progressive. "Progressive and not
retrograde." Bacon.
It is most retrograde to our desire.
Shak.
3. Declining from a better to a worse state; as, a retrograde people;
retrograde ideas, morals, etc. Bacon.
Re"tro*grade, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Retrograded (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Retrograding.] [L. retrogradare, retrogradi: cf. F. rétrograder.] 1. To
go in a retrograde direction; to move, or appear to move, backward, as
a planet.
2. Hence, to decline from a better to a worse condition, as in morals
or intelligence.
Re"tro*gra`ding*ly (?), adv. By retrograding; so as to retrograde.
Re"tro*gress (?), n. [Cf. L. retrogressus.] Retrogression. [R.] H.
Spenser.
Re`tro*gres"sion (?), n. [Cf. F. rétrogression. See Retrograde, and cf.
Digression.] 1. The act of retrograding, or going backward;
retrogradation.
2. (Biol.) Backward development; a passing from a higher to a lower
state of organization or structure, as when an animal, approaching
maturity, becomes less highly organized than would be expected from its
earlier stages or known relationship. Called also retrograde
development, and regressive metamorphism.
Re`tro*gres"sive, a. [Cf. F. rétrogressif.] 1. Tending to retrograde;
going or moving backward; declining from a better to a worse state.
2. (Biol.) Passing from a higher to a lower condition; declining from a
more perfect state of organization; regressive.
Re`tro*gres"sive*ly, adv. In a retrogressive manner.
Re`tro*min"gen*cy (?), n. The quality or state of being retromingent.
Sir T. Browne.
Re`tro*min"gent (?), a. [Pref. retro- + L. mingens, p. pr. of mingere
to urinate.] Organized so as to discharge the urine backward. -- n.
(Zoöl.) An animal that discharges its urine backward.
Re`tro*pul"sive (?), a. [Pref. retro- + L. pellere, pulsum, to impel.]
Driving back; repelling.
Re*trorse" (?), a. [L. retrorsus, retroversus; retro back + vertere,
versum, to turn. Cf. Retrovert.] Bent backward or downward. --
Re*trorse"ly, adv.
Re"tro*spect (?), v. i. [L. retrospicere; retro back + specere,
spectum, to look. See Spy, and cf. Expect.] To look backward; hence, to
affect or concern what is past.
It may be useful to retrospect to an early period.
A. Hamilton.
Re"tro*spect, n. A looking back on things past; view or contemplation
of the past. Cowper.
We may introduce a song without retrospect to the old comedy.
Landor.
Re`tro*spec"tion (?), n. The act, or the faculty, of looking back on
things past.
Re`tro*spec"tive (?), a. [Cf. F. rétrospectif.] 1. Looking backward;
contemplating things past; -- opposed to prospective; as, a
retrospective view.
The sage, with retrospective eye.
Pope.
2. Having reference to what is past; affecting things past;
retroactive; as, a retrospective law.
Inflicting death by a retrospective enactment.
Macaulay.
Re`tro*spec"tive*ly, adv. By way of retrospect.
||Re*trous`sé" (?), a. [F., p.p. of retrousser to turn up.] Turned up;
||-- said of a pug nose.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Re`tro*vac`ci*na"tion (?), n. (Med.) The inoculation of a cow with
human vaccine virus.
Re`tro*ver"sion (?), n. [Cf. F. rétroversion. See Retrovert.] A turning
or bending backward; also, the state of being turned or bent backward;
displacement backwards; as, retroversion of the uterus.
In retroversion the bending is gradual or curved; in retroflexion it is
abrupt or angular.
Re"tro*vert (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Retroverted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Retroverting.] [Pref. retro- + L. vertere, versum, to turn. Cf.
Retrorse.] To turn back.
Re"tro*vert*ed, a. In a state of retroversion.
Re*trude" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Retruded; p. pr. & vb. n.
Retruding.] [L. retrudere; re- + trudere to thrust.] To thrust back.
[R.] Dr. H. More.
Re*truse" (?), a. [L. retrusus concealed, p. p. of retrudere.]
Abstruse. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.
Re*tru"sion (?), n. The act of retruding, or the state of being
retruded.
In virtue of an endless remotion or retrusion of the constituent
cause.
Coleridge.
Re*try" (?), v. t. To try (esp. judicially) a second time; as, to retry
a case; to retry an accused person.
Rette (?), v. t. See Aret. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Ret"ter*y (?), n. A place or establishment where flax is retted. See
Ret. Ure.
Ret"ting (?), n. 1. The act or process of preparing flax for use by
soaking, maceration, and kindred processes; -- also called rotting. See
Ret. Ure.