retool

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /riˈtul/ UK /riːˈtuːl/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to re-equip with new tools, or to reorganize and adapt for a new purpose

The factory had to retool its lines to build electric motors.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to re-equip with new tools,... reorganize revamp overhaul modernizere-equipretrofitreconfigure

Word family

Derived forms retooling

Related forms tool

Etymology

From re- ('again') + tool, the noun tool deriving from Old English tōl ('implement, instrument'), from Proto-Germanic *tōlą.

re- Latin tōl Old English

View etymology graph ->

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Describing Qualities

# retool

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** riˈtul
**IPA (UK):** riːˈtuːl

## Meanings
1. to re-equip with new tools, or to reorganize and adapt for a new purpose

## Examples
- The factory had to retool its lines to build electric motors.

## Synonyms
- reorganize
- revamp
- overhaul
- modernize
- re-equip
- retrofit
- reconfigure

## Derived Forms
- retooling

## Related Forms
- tool

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: re-
- Root: tōl

## Etymology
From re- ('again') + tool, the noun tool deriving from Old English tōl ('implement, instrument'), from Proto-Germanic *tōlą.

## AI Etymology
Retool comes from re- ('again') + tool, the noun tool deriving from Old English tōl ('implement, instrument'), from Proto-Germanic *tōlą. The historical chain includes Latin re- and Old English tōl. Older glosses in the chain include "again" and "implement, instrument", which help explain the semantic range of the modern word. Morphologically, retool is best read as compound and borrowing, yielding an English verb shaped by both form history and later usage. In current English it functions as a verb, with the sense "to re-equip with new tools, or to reorganize and adapt for a new purpose". English derivatives include retooling; related forms include tool. The result is an English verb whose etymology preserves the older forms while supporting the word's specialized modern meaning.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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retool

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