1912 Jrnl. Philos., Psychol. & Sci. Methods 9 298 According to the best estimates there are 6,000,000 retardates in the public schools of the country.

1916 L. M. Terman Measurem. of Intelligence 12 Taking the country over, the ratio of ‘accelerates’ to ‘retardates’ in the school is approximately 1 to 10.

1956 Amer. Jrnl. Mental Deficiency Jan. 531/1 That promotions to supervisory capacity are within reach of some retardates is demonstrated on Table VI.

1974 E. Bowen Henry & Other Heroes vii. 138 I did the same genially witless things with Aunt Ernesta that I did with them—and that I still do if I can find a fellow retardate.

1980 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 29 Mar. 930/2 The mentally deficient (call them mentally subnormal, retarded or ‘retardates’, if you must) have legitimate rights.

1982 Assoc. Press (Nexis) 5 Oct. The men stand in the postures of social retardates.

1992 Time 20 Jan. 58/1 When they hire a handyman, he is (as they might prefer to put it) ‘differently abled’—a sweet-souled retardate.

1912 J. E. W. Wallin Exper. Stud. Mental Deficients ii. 27 A difference in the method of grading may perceptibly alter the distribution of homogenous groups of patients, particularly..in the moron and retardate groups.

1943 in N.Z. Parl. Deb 262 696/2 I was asked to promise that no written word of mine of a political nature should ever be published without first of all being submitted to a retardate worm like the Hon. Mr. Wilson.

1963 Rev. Educ. Res. 33 128 One study, in which 38 retardate residents of Fort Wayne State School participated.

1999 Arkansas Democrat-Gaz. (Nexis) 28 Nov. j7 Her best friend..has criticized Clara for her ‘retardate’ fondness for horses and her habit of saying ‘innyhoo’ at the end of her sentences.

2000 Philippine Daily Inquirer (Nexis) 15 Aug. 14 Police are hunting three teenagers here for raping a 42-year-old retardate woman.

1598 A. M. tr. J. Guillemeau Frenche Chirurg. i. iii. f. 4/1 When the middle reefe or Diaphragma is wounded..they [sc. patients] have verye retardate breathe, and there issueth out of the wounde frothye bloode.

1598 A. M. tr. J. Guillemeau Frenche Chirurg. viii. iii. f. 41/2 The matter, wherof the Potentiall cauteryes are made, are oftentimes venoumouse: And how soever they be praepared, yet ther operatione, & actione, is vncertayne, retardate and slowe.

1598 A. M. tr. J. Guillemeau Methodicalle Disc. in Frenche Chirurg. f. 48^v/2 The..aquositye, which is verye retardatelye expelled.

1613 T. Jackson Eternall Truth Script. i. To Rdr. d 3 That..which for a long time did retardate my perswasion.

1633 J. Hart Κλινικη iii. xxx. 366 The blood might a little retardate and hinder this operation.

1664 H. Power Exper. Philos. i. 73 Objects and Mediums they either hit upon or pass thorow; and so consequently do either accelerate or retardate the Solary Atoms in their..Motion.

1684 S. E. Answer Remarks upon Dr. H. More 135 The Entireness of the Turkish Empire may retardate Antichrist's ruine.

1703 J. Drake Historia Anglo-Scotica 46 King Edward resumes his former Intentions, concerning his Wars in France, which had been retardated by the business of Scotland.

1730 J. Cook Anat. & Mech. Ess. I. iv. 61 [Valves] prevent the Blood's passing back in the same Channel, and that it may not by its Gravity press upon the Blood à tergo or behind it, thereby to retardate its Motion.

1902 P. Blaschke Electr. Dict. III. 122/1 To retardate the movement.

1989 N. I. Afonskaya et al. in E. I. Chazov & V. N. Smirnov Cardiol. Rev. II. 270 Attempts to protect ischemic myocardium by retardating the degradation of high-energy phosphates..seem very reasonable.