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Retire Very Common

Retire has 14 different meanings across 1 category:

Verb

Definitions
Noun
1

The act of retiring, or the state of being retired.

"After thirty years of service, he finally felt it was time to retire from his career as a teacher."

In plain English: A retire is an old-fashioned term for someone who has given up their job and stopped working full-time.

"After forty years at his job, he finally enjoyed his well-earned retirement in Florida."

Verb
1

go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position

"He retired at age 68"

2

withdraw from active participation

"He retired from chess"

3

pull back or move away or backward

"The enemy withdrew"

"The limo pulled away from the curb"

4

withdraw from circulation or from the market, as of bills, shares, and bonds

"The government announced plans to retire the old series of currency notes by exchanging them for new ones."

5

break from a meeting or gathering

"We adjourned for lunch"

"The men retired to the library"

6

make (someone) retire

"The director was retired after the scandal"

7

dispose of (something no longer useful or needed)

"She finally retired that old coat"

8

lose interest

"he retired from life when his wife died"

9

cause to be out on a fielding play

"The batter swung and missed, allowing the pitcher to retire him on the first pitch of the at-bat."

10

cause to get out

"The pitcher retired three batters"

"the runner was put out at third base"

11

prepare for sleep

"I usually turn in at midnight"

"He goes to bed at the crack of dawn"

12

To stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness.

"The mechanic decided to retire the old car's worn-out tires before the winter storm arrived."

13

To fit (a vehicle) with new tires.

In plain English: To retire means to stop working and leave your job permanently, usually because you are old enough to enjoy life without earning money.

"She plans to retire from her job next year after thirty years of service."

Usage: Use "retire" to describe permanently stopping work due to age or health rather than taking a temporary break from employment. Do not confuse this verb with fitting new tires on a vehicle, which is an unrelated meaning often found in specific technical contexts.

Example Sentences
"After forty years at his job, he finally enjoyed his well-earned retirement in Florida." noun
"She plans to retire from her job next year after thirty years of service." verb
"He decided to retire from his job after thirty years of service." verb
"We will retire early tonight since the movie has already ended." verb
"The soldiers retired slowly behind the cover of the trees during the night." verb
Related Terms
Antonyms
progress turn out arise
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
leave office discontinue travel recall close up displace discard tire toy
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
superannuate bow out drop out fall back retrograde back up prorogue chicken out bed down

Origin

Retire entered English in the 15th century via Middle and Old French as a compound meaning "to draw back." The root for pulling comes from an ancient form of unknown origin that eventually evolved into its current sense of withdrawing or leaving active service.

Rhyming Words
ire aire sire lire dire gire cire pire mire tire vire eire wire hire fire geire noire swire twire adire
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