the world > movement > impelling or driving > pushing and pulling > [adjective] > relating to or used in pulling > pulling back > serving to (3)
Anatomy. Of a nerve: recurrent; spec. designating the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Now historical and rare.
Serving to retract; (of a physical object or agent) that pulls or keeps something back.
Of a muscle: = retractive, adj. 1.