Retire Meaning
/ɹɪˈtaɪə/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness.
verbTo stop playing their sport and in competitions a sports player.
Sentence Examples
We retire at eleven o'clock.
When I retire, I'd like to spend the rest of my life in the country.
Most people retire at the age of sixty.
CEFR Practice Quiz
After working for 40 years, my grandfather decided to ____ his position.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She planned to ____ at sixty and spend her remaining years travelling and writing her memoirs.
Word Origin & History
From Middle French retirer (“draw back”), from Old French retirer, built from re- (“back”) + tirer (“draw, pull”), the latter from Vulgar Latin *tīrāre, of highly uncertain origin.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Green will never forget "that was the day I retired - the absolute crowning event of my life and I was very proud of that."
— 2022 September 21, Chris Green tells Nick Brodrick, “It's absolutely my favourite train”, in RAIL, number 966, page 37:
"He […] retired himself, his wife, and children into a forest."
— a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
"As when the sun is present all the year, / And never doth retire his golden ray."
— 1592, John Davies, The Original, Nature, and Immortality of the Soul:
"Only now, due to the COVID-19-associated drop in traffic, are they being retired with 12 of the 30 trains moved to Landore (Swansea) for warm storage."
— 2020 May 20, John Crosse, “Soon to be gone... but never forgotten”, in Rail, page 63:
"How had it felt, at 28, to be the hottest young actor in town? He [Richard Gere] grinned. “It was great having the attention,” he said. “I thought: ‘This is it! I’ve done it! I’m going to retire my father. I’m putting money away for college for my sisters,’ the whole thing. It’s incredibly euphorious. All of a sudden the rehearsal period of your life is over, and your future has arrived. It’s liberating.”"
— 1988 November 27, “How Richard Gere Learned To Reach Out”, in Parade (The Spokesman-Review), page 10, column 3:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After working for 40 years, my grandfather decided to ____ his position.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She planned to ____ at sixty and spend her remaining years travelling and writing her memoirs.