I. To take hold of or handle again; to take in hand again, undertake anew, etc. (class.; esp. in the trop. sense).
A. Lit. (mostly poet.): “arma,” Liv. 2, 30: “ferrum,” Verg. A. 7, 694; 10, 396: “gladios, Petr. poët. 89, 61: vulnera,” to feel again, Ov. Tr. 3, 11, 19; 4, 4, 41; cf.: “manu sua vota (i. e. the image),” id. M. 10, 288: “pedamenta,” to go over again, retouch, Col. 4, 26, 1: “agrum,” to look over again, examine again, id. 1, 4, 1: “dextras in bella,” Sil. 10, 257: “noctem,” id. 3, 216. — Poet.: “Venerem,” Lucr. 4, 1200.—
B. Trop., of mental action, to reconsider, examine again, revise, etc. (syn. recognosco): “qui omnia, quae ad cultum deorum pertinerent, diligenter retractarent et tamquam relegerent, sunt dicti religiosi,” Cic. N. D. 2, 28, 72; cf.: “fata domus (with relegere),” Ov. M. 4, 569: locus orationis a me retractandus, Cic. Mur. 26, 54: “augemus dolorem retractando,” id. Att. 8, 9, 3: “desueta verba,” Ov. Tr. 5, 7, 63: “secum deae memorata,” id. M. 7, 714: “vota,” id. ib. 10, 370: “gaudium,” Plin. Ep. 7, 24, 8: “leges retractavit,” revised, Suet. Aug. 34: “leges (librum), sed retractatum,” Plin. Ep. 8, 21, 6: “carmina diligentius,” Suet. Gram. 2: “Ceae munera neniae,” Hor. C. 2, 1, 38.— Impers. pass.: “posterā die retractatur,” the negotiation is renewed, Tac. G. 22 fin.—
II. To withdraw one's self from an act; to draw back, refuse, decline, be reluctant (class.).
(α).
Absol.: “veniet tempus et quidem celeriter et sive retractabis sive properabis,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 31, 76: “Appius nunc vocari Icilium, nunc retractantem arripi jubet,” Liv. 3, 49 Drak.; 3, 52; 37, 18; Sall. H. Fragm. 1, 19; Col. 2, 2, 26: “aut quid jam, Turne, retractas,” Verg. A. 12, 889.—
(β).
With acc., to withdraw, retract any thing: “nihil est quod dicta retractent Ignavi Aeneadae,” Verg. A. 12, 11: largitiones factas ante aliquantum tempus retractari non oportet, Traj. ap. Plin. Ep. 10, 111 (112).— Transf., to detract from, disparage, = detrecto: “retractandi levandique ejus operis gratiā,” Gell. 14, 3, 4. — Hence, rē^tractātus , a, um, P. a. (acc. to I. B.), revised, corrected: retractatius σύνταγμα, Cic. Att. 16, 3, 1.
