1no object Leave one's job and cease to work, typically on reaching the normal age for leaving service.

1. 1.1with object Compel (an employee) to leave their job, especially before they have reached retirement age.
   ‘the Home Office retired him’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The question here is whether a transfer of property that extinguishes the trust by merging the beneficial and legal interest can in any sense be said to retire a trustee.’
   • ‘By retiring officers unfit for active service, this group attempted to revolutionize the navy's traditional system of promotion.’
   • ‘By and large, the throngs of steelworkers have been retired by computers and automated controls that now watch over every aspect of the steel-making process.’
   • ‘Expect a major change of location soon, of course: it seems that he has been unceremoniously retired from service.’
   Synonyms

   pension off, force to retire, force to give up work

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2. 1.2(of a player) cease to participate in competitive sport.
   ‘he retired from football several years ago’
   More example sentences

   • ‘When a superstar retires, the price is based on his racetrack performance.’
   • ‘Bird was my favorite player and when he retired from basketball, I lost interest in the game.’
   • ‘Only the nobility were allowed to take part in jousting tournaments though Henry VIII had to retire from the sport as he was seriously injured in a jousting tournament in 1536.’
   • ‘He competed in four Olympic Games and did not retire from professional athletics until 1995.’
   • ‘After retiring from sports, he ran a private practice in Orange, California, for many years.’
   • ‘After retiring from the sport in 1994, Chris decided to continue his involvement in a volunteer capacity.’
   • ‘Brought up in Bangor, Maine, Rudom became a professional basketball player before retiring at 30.’
   • ‘The clincher came December 20 when Michelena, the sport's living legend, announced he was retiring.’
   • ‘He retired after almost eight years in the sport.’
   • ‘Key players moved on to other careers or retired.’
   • ‘Freddy made a face that was full of sorrow, as if he was being asked to retire from the major leagues.’
   • ‘After retiring from the Bears in 1934, he became a football broadcaster on radio and then television, widely admired as a remarkably modest football hero, one of the greatest of all time.’
   • ‘Well I'm sorry to hear that you are retiring from playing.’
   • ‘Afterwards, the gutsy halfback became even more determined to finish his career as a player - not retired forever through injury.’
   • ‘She played for several years before retiring with repetition strain injury.’
   • ‘Hellé did not retire immediately from racing, but her story now was one of betrayal, impoverishment and obscurity.’
   • ‘Bernie Mac is Stan Ross, a Milwaukee Brewer who hits his 3,000th hit during a pennant race and instantly retires after snatching the souvenir ball away from the kid who catches it.’
   • ‘She was forced to withdraw from the Rome Olympics in 1960 because of a hamstring injury, and retired.’
   • ‘Contrary to media reports this week, South African batsman, Daryll Cullinan has not officially retired from international cricket.’
   • ‘I've prematurely retired from international football because I did not want to go to the African Nations Cup.’
3. 1.3(of a sports player) withdraw from a race or match as a result of accident or injury.
   ‘he was forced to retire with a damaged oil tank’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Stewart retired hurt’
   • ‘The game turned out to be his last professional outing, as unnecessary injury problems forced yet another player to retire early.’
   • ‘A pity Shane had to retire through injury for the last quarter.’
4. 1.4Baseball with object Put out (a batter); cause (a side) to end a turn at bat.
   ‘Dopson retired twelve batters in a row’
   More example sentences

   • ‘But Budde settled down and retired the next three batters.’
   • ‘It requires retiring all twenty-seven batters in order, without allowing a single runner.’
   • ‘Scobie took the mound for the seventh, retiring the first batter.’
   • ‘I retired all three batters in the ninth and again struck out two, " recalled Jansen.’
   • ‘A pitcher retires the first two batters in the top of the first inning.’

2no object Withdraw to or from a particular place.

1. 2.1Go to bed.
   ‘everyone retired early that night’
   More example sentences

   • ‘MaryAnn wasn't worried about Lizzie because Lizzie rarely had plans for a Saturday night and usually retired early.’
   • ‘The music started to die down, and the king announced for everyone to retire for the night.’
   • ‘Late that night, after everyone had retired, I sat up in bed, listening to the chirps of the night creatures.’
   • ‘The seven retired to bed early that night, their bones aching.’
   • ‘Cathy seemed very anxious to get Nelly to bed, and kept looking at her watch, finally retiring early to bed.’
   • ‘She had to talk to him about Edur before the wine went to his head and he insisted upon retiring to bed early.’
   • ‘For a lady of one hundred and four years she is good, but retires early to help with breakfast at six in the morning.’
   • ‘Black, his wife Melinda, and his daughter Caroline all retired fairly early, each moving into their separate rooms after bidding the travelers a good night.’
   • ‘I spent the day doing nothing and retired early.’
   • ‘Everyone had retired in their tents and fell asleep.’
   • ‘David retired to bed early, but she stayed up much later, asking Sarah questions about the city, but never getting a direct answer.’
   • ‘I retired early and slept until evening, and deeply at that.’
   • ‘Father always retired early, he had to commute every morning.’
   • ‘She ignored her parents completely, and retired to her room early.’
   • ‘Anmar retired early, but the first watch ended with his lamp still lit.’
   • ‘Initially, Sabine was exhausted from whatever she had done, and retired early after supper.’
   • ‘That evening, after our major discovery and our major story telling, we retired fairly early.’
   • ‘After eating a light dinner of grilled chicken salad and apple juice, she retired early.’
   • ‘After dinner William retired to bed earlier than normal to get the rest his body was craving.’
   • ‘When I finally retired to bed, exhausted, she was still reading.’
   Synonyms

   go to bed, go to one's room, call it a day, go to sleep

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2. 2.2(of a jury) leave the courtroom to decide the verdict of a trial.
   ‘the judge finished his summing up and the jury retired’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The trial continued the next day and the jury retired to consider their verdict.’
   • ‘The jury retires to consider its verdict - the jurors go into the jury room.’
   • ‘After three days of courtroom arguments, the 12 men of the jury retire to decide if the boy is guilty beyond reasonable doubt.’
   • ‘You can say you add the dynamics of the case, the fact that it was said just before the jury retires to consider the matter and the fact that the statements were repeated.’
   • ‘The jury retired to deliberate on the afternoon of 2 October.’
   • ‘After an hour of instruction from US District Judge Barbara Jones the jury retired to begin considering the evidence.’
   • ‘Over the course of three and a half days they listened to evidence presented by both sides, and then questioned the witnesses for both defence and prosecution before retiring to consider their verdict.’
   • ‘When both parties have completed their presentation of the case, the Court declares the hearings closed and retires to deliberate in private.’
   • ‘On that basis, no problem arises in the normal course of events if a justices' clerk retires with the justices and it is not known what assistance, if any, he or she in fact furnishes to them.’
   • ‘The jury then retire to consider the evidence before returning to announce their all important verdict.’
3. 2.3(of a military force) retreat from an enemy or an attacking position.
   ‘lack of numbers compelled the British force to retire’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The great black dragon was forced to retire from the fight.’
   • ‘To the north of Ypres the Germans, by employing a large quantity of asphyxiating bombs, the effect of which was felt for a distance of a mile and a quarter behind our lines, succeeded in forcing us to retire.’
   • ‘Yermati led a tactical retreat and the elves retired to their kingdom.’
   • ‘There was a short skirmish with enemy cavalry near Taliaferro's Mill, but they quickly retired.’
   • ‘Allies advance in big counter-attack - ‘French troops had to retire overwhelmed by fumes,’ says Sir J French’
   Synonyms

   retreat, withdraw, pull back, fall back, pull out, disengage, back off, give way, give ground, flee, take flight, turn tail, beat a retreat, beat a hasty retreat

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4. 2.4with object Order (a military force) to retreat.
   ‘the general retired all his troops’
   More example sentences

   • ‘From a military point of view, when you get into those situations, it makes sense to retire, withdraw, tactically or strategically, in order to reshape the war in a way that you can win it.’

3Economics
with object Withdraw (a bill or note) from circulation or currency.

4Finance
with object Pay off or cancel (a debt)

A movement in which one leg is raised at right angles to the body until the toe is in line with the knee of the supporting leg.