retrench, v. 1. reduce, decrease, diminish, subtract, subduct, lessen, shorten, contract, cut, cut down, cut short, cut back, abridge, abbreviate, narrow, shrink, compress, Obs. breviate, dock, crop, clip, shear, trim, prune, pare down, shave, nip; curtail, limit, tie down, restrict, constrict, confine, cramp; stub, stunt, truncate; slim down, slenderize, shrivel, wither.
2. remove, detach, sever, disever, cleave, cut off, saw off, sunder, separate, rive, rend, tear off, hew, hack, chop, obtruncate, detruncate, lop, lop off; amputate, dislimb, dismember, mutilate.
3. economize, conserve, meet expenses, reduce expenses, manage frugally, cut costs, pinch, pinch pennies, Inf. cut corners, make both ends meet, Inf. keep one's head above water, Inf. tighten one's belt, Inf tighten up on, Inf. put the squeeze on, stint; save, scrimp, husband, hoard, reserve, lay by, Inf. save for a rainy day, SI. sock away. retrenchment, n. 1. reduction, reducing, decrease, decreasing, diminution, diminishing, subtracting, sub-duction, subducting, loss, lessening, shortening, contraction, contracting, decline, cutback, rollback, decrement, decrescence, depression, abridgment, abbreviation, shrinkage, shrinking, narrowing, cutting down or short, docking, cropping, clipping, shearing, trimming, pruning, shaving, nipping, concision, constriction, constricting; curtailment, curtailing, limitation, limiting, restriction, restricting, confinement, confining.
2. removal, removing, severance, severing, disseverance, disseverment, disseveration, cleavage, cleaving, cutting off, sawing off, sunderance, sundering, separation, separating, riving, rending, tearing off, hewing, hacking, chopping, obtruncation, detruncation, lopping, lopping off; amputation, amputating, dismemberment, dismembering, mutilation, mutilating.
3. economy, economization, economizing, frugality, thrift, thriftiness, prudence, care, stint, meeting of expenses, reduction or reducing of expenses, frugal management, cost cutting, cutting of costs, pinching, penny-pinching, pinching of pennies, Inf. cutting of corners, cost reduction, reduction or reducing of costs, making both ends meet, Inf. keeping one's head above water, Inf. tightening one's belt, conservation, conserving; savingness, saving, scrimping, husbandry, housewifery, hoarding, reserving, laying by, Inf. saving for a rainy day, SI. socking away. retribution, n. 1. requital, reparation, restitution, redress; repayment, satisfaction, atonement, sackcloth and ashes; recompense, return, compensation, payment.
2. punishment, just deserts, condign judgment or punishment, what is coming to one; retaliation, revenge, reprisal; lex talionis, talion, an eye for an eye, measure for measure, tit for tat; counterstroke, a Roland for an Oliver, Latin, quid pro quo. retrieve, v. 1. recover, regain, get back; recoup, win back; retake, take back, recapture; ransom, buy back; reclaim, recycle, salvage.
2. restore, reestablish, reinvest, reinstate, reinstall, rehabilitate; return, replace, put back.
3. redeem, make amends for; repair, remedy, rectify, redress, correct, right, put or set right, make good.
4. Hunting, (of hunting dogs) fetch, bring back.
5. save, rescue, deliver, liberate, free.
retroaction, n. 1. counteraction, countermotion, counterblast, repulse, rebuff; boomerang, backlash, reaction, repercussion, reverberation; recoil, rebound, ricochet, reflex, kick, spring; revulsion.
2. opposition, resistance, check, recalcitration,