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retract

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To retract is to withdraw something you said or did.

(verb)

When you made a statement and then realized you spoke in error and take back what you said, this is an example of a situation where you retract your statement.
When you pull your hand back because it touches a hot flame, this is an example of a situation where you retract your hand.

See retract in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to draw back or in: to retract claws
to withdraw or disavow (a statement, promise, offer, charge, etc.); recant

Origin: ME retracten: in retractsense < L retractus, pp. of retrahere, to draw back < re-, back + trahere, to draw; in retractsense < MFr retracter < L retractare, to draw back, withdraw < re-, back + tractare, to pull, draw, freq. of trahere

Related Forms:

retractability noun
retractable adjective
retractive adjective

See retract in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb re·tract·ed, re·tract·ing, re·tracts

verb, transitive

To take back; disavow: refused to retract the statement.
To draw back or in: a plane retracting its landing gear. See Synonyms at recede¹.
Linguistics
a. To utter (a sound) with the tongue drawn back.
b. To draw back (the tongue).

verb, intransitive