What is 'Retreat'?

back to basics--part 2 of a series looking at writing "retreat/s"

Photo by Museums Victoria on Unsplash

I’ve been thinking of “retreat” in certain ways. But if I look up a definition, it takes a turn that wasn’t really on my radar. It’s not the first time I’ve done this.

“Retreat” makes me think of stillness and quiet. Slow breathing. Puttering.

But turns out that in most sources of definition, it’s first noted as a military word.

(1)

—Retreating from the enemy

—An act of going away especially from something difficult or dangerous

—Drawing back. Either because an army has been defeated. Or in order to avoid fighting

—Signal given by bugle

Then it begins to get interesting.