Etymology: < ret v.² Compare earlier retting n.

Etymology: Apparently shortened < reteration n. (originally as a graphic abbreviation). With quot. 1874 compare reiteration n. 2 and the etymological note at that entry.

Etymology: Shortened < reticulum n. (compare sense 4 at that entry), originally as a graphic abbreviation.

Etymology: Shortened < retired adj. (originally as a graphic abbreviation).

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman retter, recter, Anglo-Norman and Old French reter to accuse (c1139 or earlier in Anglo-Norman), to ascribe, attribute (late 12th cent. as roter ), to be reputed (1419 or earlier in Anglo-Norman) < classical Latin reputāre repute v. Compare post-classical Latin rettare to indict, accuse (frequently from 12th cent. in British sources). Compare also Old Occitan reptar (12th cent.), Catalan reptar (1225), Spanish †reptar (13th cent.; now retar ), Portuguese retar (13th cent; now usually reptar (1720)). Compare aret v.In Middle English prefixed and unprefixed forms of the past participle are attested (see y- prefix).

Etymology: Immediate origin and exact transmission uncertain. In α. forms perhaps < Middle Dutch rēten to macerate (flax or hemp), to ret (Dutch reeten ), apparently originally a specific use of rēten to tear up, break up, (in early modern Dutch also) to heckle (flax or hemp) ( < rēte tear, gash < rīten to tear, perhaps from the same Germanic base as write v.), with change of sense after rōten (see below), although the semantic development is difficult to explain; it perhaps arises from retting and heckling being interdependent parts of the fibre extraction process, both concerned with separating the fibre from the surrounding material. In β. forms apparently showing shortening of the vowel of the α. forms; in later use probably also partly showing shortening of the vowel of the γ. forms. In γ. forms (chiefly northern and Irish English) probably < early Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic reyta to pluck, tear, Norwegian røyta to cause to rot, Old Swedish röta to cause to rot (Swedish röta to ret), Danish røde to ret (already in early modern Danish)), cognate with Middle Dutch rōten to ret (Dutch roten , regional also röten ), Middle Low German rōten , rȫten to rot, to ret, Old High German rōzēn to decompose (Middle High German rōzen , rœzen to rot, to cause to rot, German rösten to ret (perhaps showing alteration after Rost rust n.¹), regional rȫssen , rössen , etc.) < a Germanic verb with the sense ‘to cause to separate, cause to decompose’, causative formation from the same Germanic base as the unattested strong verb underlying Old Icelandic rotinn rotten adj. Compare rot v. 4a. In sense 2 apparently only attested in γ. forms. Earlier currency (in α. forms) is probably implied by post-classical Latin retare (1270, 1312 in British sources from East Anglia and Essex, apparently rare; compare also post-classical Latin retatio in an undated, apparently medieval document cited in the same passage as quot. 1701 at sense 1β. ).In Dutch, earlier currency of a form with a long vowel (Old Dutch *rōtian to ret) is perhaps implied by the borrowing into Old French roir to ret (13th cent.; Middle French, French rouir ; compare Old French roise place for retting (12th cent.)). In form rit at β. forms in recent use probably reflecting a phonological development in Irish English; with earlier use compare rit v.², although it is uncertain whether (or how) these are related.

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps imitative of the call of the grey partridge.