To withdraw; to take away; to make to retire.--Johnson. This transitive use of the verb, which had become obsolete, is now reviving in this country. Of the many examples from good old writers given by Johnson, we will quote only one from Shakspeare:
He, our hope, might have retired his power,
And driven into despair an enemy's hate.--Richard II.
With us it is used by military men of withdrawing troops.
General Rosa insisted on the blockade being removed before he retired his troops from the Banda Oriental.--Newspaper.
And by merchants of paying their notes.
The French houses are retiring their notes due next mouth, in advance, anticipating commercial difficulties.--Newspaper.