Meaning

noun (military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat

noun a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet

noun (military) a signal to begin a withdrawal from a dangerous position

originEtymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English treat English retreat From re- + treat.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0