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retreat |
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beat a (hasty) retreat
to withdraw from a place very quickly. We went out into the cold weather, but beat a retreat to the warmth of our fire. The dog beat a hasty retreat to its own yard. See also: beat retreat (from something) (to some place) to withdraw from something to some place. The army retreated from the battlefield to the safety of the forest. They retreated to the other side of the river. beat a retreat to leave a place because it is dangerous or unpleasant When the cold grows overwhelming, visitors can beat a retreat to Joe Mulligan's warm saloon. When we saw the police arriving we beat a hasty retreat. See also: beat beat a (hasty) retreat to quickly leave When the cold grows overwhelming, visitors can beat a retreat to Joe Mulligan's warm bar and restaurant. Etymology: based on the military meaning of beat a retreat (to drum a signal to soldiers that they are to move back from a fight, usually one they have lost) See also: beat Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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