Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [beet ey ri-treet]
- /bit eɪ rɪˈtrit/
- /biːt ə rɪˈtriːt/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [beet ey ri-treet]
- /bit eɪ rɪˈtrit/
Definitions of beat a retreat words
- noun beat a retreat to withdraw or depart in haste 3
- noun beat a retreat to signal for retreat by beating a drum 3
- noun beat a retreat to retreat in a hurry 3
- noun beat a retreat the forced or strategic withdrawal of an army or an armed force before an enemy, or the withdrawing of a naval force from action. 1
- noun beat a retreat the act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion. 1
- noun beat a retreat a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy: The library was his retreat. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of beat a retreat
First appearance:
before 1300 One of the 15% oldest English words
1300-50; (noun) Middle English retret < Old French, variant of retrait, noun use of past participle of retraire to draw back < Latin retrahere (re- re- + trahere to draw; see retract1); (v.) late Middle English retreten < Middle French retraitier < Latin retractāre to retract2
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Beat a retreat
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
beat a retreat popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 94% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
beat a retreat usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSee also
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