🇩🇪German Source WordCode: DE

zurücknehmen

Pronunciation / Transliteration: tsuˈʁʏkˌneːmən

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Retract/rɪˈtrækt/
verbCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #4500 frequency
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🇩🇪 Example Sentence in German:

"Er musste seine Aussage vor Gericht zurücknehmen."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As verb
  1. 1

    To draw back or in something, such as a physical part or mechanical extension.

    "The cat can extend and retract its claws at will."
  2. 2

    To formally withdraw a statement, offer, or accusation as being untrue or mistaken.

    "The newspaper was forced to issue an apology and retract the false allegations."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'retractus', the past participle of 'retrahere', combining 're-' (back) and 'trahere' (to draw). It entered Middle English in the 15th century initially meaning to draw back or withdraw a physical part, later evolving to encompass the formal withdrawal of statements, offers, or blows.

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