retraction

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a public withdrawal of a statement, accusation, claim, or published finding

   The newspaper issued a retraction after confirming that the allegation was false.

2. 2
   noun

   the act or process of drawing something back or inward

   The pilot checked the retraction of the landing gear.

From Late Latin retractio, "a drawing back or reconsideration," from retrahere, "to draw back," built from re-, "back," + trahere, "to draw or pull." The physical idea of pulling back produced the common figurative sense of withdrawing a statement or claim.

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