retraction

Everyday

1. A statement saying that something you said or printed before was wrong, taking it back. tree →
2. (science) Pulling something back in or out of sight, like a cat pulling in its claws or a plane pulling up its wheels. tree →

In the lessons

In news, a newspaper prints a retraction when it got a story wrong. In science lessons, cats have retractable claws, and retraction keeps them sharp. In science, a paper with mistakes may get a retraction, so honest checking matters.

Examples

• The newspaper printed a retraction and an apology. tree →
• He demanded a retraction of the unfair story. tree →
• After the retraction, everyone knew the rumour was false. tree →
• Retraction of a cat's claws keeps them sharp. tree →
• Retraction of the plane's wheels happens just after take-off. tree →
• The scientists issued a retraction when they found a mistake. tree →

Note

Verb: retract (take back, pull in). Adjective: retractable. Do not confuse with «subtraction».