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To retract; to recant. [Obs.]

The act of retracting what has been said; recantation.

Retractable.

CApable of retraction; capable of being drawn back or up; as, the claws of a cat are retractile.

The act of retracting, or drawing back; the state of being retracted; as, the retraction of a cat's claws.

Serving to retract; of the nature of a retraction. -- Re*tract"ive*ly, adv.

One who, or that which, retracts. Specifically:

To act backward, or in return; to act in opposition; to be retrospective.

Action returned, or action backward.

Fitted or designed to retroact; operating by returned action; affecting what is past; retrospective. Beddoes. Retroactive law or statute (Law), one which operates to make criminal or punishable, or in any way expressly to affect, acts done prior to the passing of the law.

In a retroactive manner.

Refracted; as, a retrofract stem.

An act or a bill conferring upon a chief executive, as a governor or mayor, large powers of appointment and removal of heads of departments or other subordinate officials. [Polit. Cant, U. S.]

The act or process of making red.

A salt of saccholactactic acid; -- formerly called also saccholate. [Obs.] See Mucate.

Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid now called mucic acid; saccholic. [Obs.]

relating to muscle and milk; as, sarcolactic acid. See Lactic acid, under Lactic.

The act of satisfying, or the state of being satisfied; gratification of desire; contentment in possession and enjoyment; repose of mind resulting from compliance with its desires or demands. The mind having a power to suspend the execution and satisfaction of any of its desires. Locke.

Satisfactory. [Obs.] Satisfactive discernment of fish. Sir T. Browne.

Giving or producing satisfaction; yielding content; especially, relieving the mind from doubt or uncertainty, and enabling it to rest with confidence; sufficient; as, a satisfactory account or explanation.