1. (verb)
abjure, recant, forswear, retract, resile
- formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure Synonyms: retract, rebound, draw back, recant, shrink back, spring, bound, forswear, pull back, ricochet, abjure, bounce, recoil, resile, reverberate, take a hop, draw in
2. (verb)
shrink back, retract
- pull away from a source of disgust or fear Synonyms: draw back, resile, abjure, recant, retract, draw in, shrink back, forswear, pull back
3. (verb)
retract, pull back, draw back
- use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ) Synonyms: back out, retract, draw back, recant, withdraw, pull away, shrink back, retire, draw, forswear, pull back, abjure, crawfish, move back, crawfish out, retreat, recede, resile, pull in one's horns, back away, draw in
4. (verb)
draw in, retract
- pull inward or towards a center Synonyms: curl, draw back, recant, retract, curl up, shrink back, abjure, draw, forswear, pull back, move in, pull in, suck in, pull, resile, get in, attract, close in, draw in