retard

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: re=tard

CIDE DICTIONARY

retard, v. t. [L. retardare, retardatum; pref. re- re- + tardare to make slow, to delay, fr. tardus slow: cf. F. retarder. See Tardy.].

•  To keep delaying; to continue to hinder; to prevent from progress; to render more slow in progress; to impede; to hinder; as, to retard the march of an army; to retard the motion of a ship; -- opposed to accelerate.  [1913 Webster]
•  To put off; to postpone; as, to retard the attacks of old age; to retard a rupture between nations.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To impede; hinder; obstruct; detain; delay; procrastinate; postpone; defer.

retard, v. i. 

 To stay back.  Sir. T. Browne.  [1913 Webster]

retard, n. 

•  Retardation; delay.  [1913 Webster]
•  A mentally retarded person.  [PJC]
•  a person who is stupid or inept, especially in social situations.  [PJC]

Retard of the tide, or Age of the tide, the interval between the transit of the moon at which a tide originates and the appearance of the tide itself. It is found, in general, that any particular tide is not principally due to the moon's transit immediately proceeding, but to a transit which has occured some time before, and which is said to correspond to it. The retard of the tide is thus distinguished from the lunitidal interval. See under Retardation. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

retard, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 make slow or late.
2 delay the progress, development, arrival, or accomplishment of.
--n. retardation.

Idiom

in retard delayed, in the rear.

Derivative

retardant adj. & n. retardation n. retardative adj. retardatory adj. retarder n. retardment n.

Etymology

F retarder f. L retardare (as RE-, tardus slow)

THESAURUS

retard

arrest, backpedal, backwater, balk, block, bottle up, brake, bridle, check, clip the wings, confine, constrain, contain, control, cool, cool off, countercheck, curb, curtail, dam up, damp, dampen, decelerate, delay, detain, dompt, drag, draw rein, dunce, ease off, ease up, enjoin, fool, frustrate, govern, guard, hinder, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in leash, hold up, idiot, imbecile, impede, inhibit, intercept, interfere, interfere with, intermeddle, interrupt, intervene, jerk, keep, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep under control, lag, lay under restraint, let down, let up, lose ground, lose momentum, lose speed, make late, meddle, moderate, moron, obstruct, oppose, prohibit, pull, pull in, reef, rein, rein in, relax, repress, resist, restrain, restrict, retrench, scotch, set back, slack off, slack up, slacken, slow, slow down, slow up, snub, stall, stay, stop, straiten, suppress, take in sail, throttle down, thwart, withhold

ROGET THESAURUS

retard

Hindrance

VB hinder, impede, filibuster, impedite, embarrass, keep off, stave off, ward off, obviate, avert, antevert, turn aside, draw off, prevent, forefend, nip in the bud, retard, slacken, check, let, counteract, countercheck, preclude, debar, foreclose, estop, inhibit, shackle, restrict, obstruct, stop, stay, bar, bolt, lock, block, block up, choke off, belay, barricade, block the way, bar the way, stop the way, forelay, dam up, put on the brake, scotch the wheel, lock the wheel, put a spoke in the wheel, put a stop to, traverse, contravene, interrupt, intercept, oppose, hedge in, hedge round, cut off, inerclude, interpose, interfere, intermeddle, cramp, hamper, clog, clog the wheels, cumber, encumber, incumber, handicap, choke, saddle with, load with, overload, lay, lumber, trammel, tie one's hands, put to inconvenience, incommode, discommode, discompose, hustle, corner, drive into a corner, run foul of, fall foul of, cross the path of, break in upon, thwart, frustrate, disconcert, balk, foil, faze, feaze, feeze, baffle, snub, override, circumvent, defeat, spike guns, spoil, mar, clip the wings of, cripple, put an extinguisher on, damp, dishearten, discountenance, throw cold water on, spoil sport, lay a wet blanket, throw a wet blanket on, cut the ground from under one, take the wind out of one's sails, undermine, be in the way of, stand in the way of, act as a drag, hang like a millstone round one's neck.

Lateness

VB be late, tarry, wait, stay, bide, take time, dawdle, linger, loiter, bide one's time, take one's time, gain time, hang fire, stand over, lie over, put off, defer, delay, lay over, suspend, table, shift off, stave off, waive, retard, remand, postpone, adjourn, procrastinate, dally, prolong, protract, spin out, draw out, lengthen out, stretch out, prorogue, keep back, tide over, push to the last, drive to the last, let the matter stand over, reserve, temporize, consult one's pillow, sleep on it, lose an opportunity, be kept waiting, dance attendance, kick one's heels, cool one's heels, faire antichambre, wait impatiently, await, sit up, sit up at night.

Slowness

VB move slowly, creep, crawl, lag, slug, drawl, linger, loiter, saunter, plod, trudge, stump along, lumber, trail, drag, dawdle, grovel, worm one's way, steal along, job on, rub on, bundle on, toddle, waddle, wabble, slug, traipse, slouch, shuffle, halt, hobble, limp, caludicate, shamble, flag, falter, trotter, stagger, mince, step short, march in slow time, march in funeral procession, take one's time, hang fire, retard, relax, slacken, check, moderate, rein in, curb, reef, strike sail, shorten sail, take in sail, put on the drag, apply the brake, clip the wings, reduce the speed, slacken speed, slacken one's pace, lose ground.