Retard, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Retarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Retarding.]
Etymology: [L. retardare, retardatum; pref. re- re- + tardare to make slow, to delay, fr. tardus slow: cf. F. retarder. See Tardy.]
1. To keep delaying; to continue to hinder; to prevent from progress; to render more slow in progress; to impede; to hinder; as, to retard the march of an army; to retard the motion of a ship; -- opposed to Ant: accelerate.
2. To put off; to postpone; as, to retard the attacks of old age; to retard a rupture between nations.
Syn. -- To impede; hinder; obstruct; detain; delay; procrastinate; postpone; defer.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Retard, v. i.
To stay back. [Obs.] Sir. T. Browne.
Retard, n.
Retardation; delay. Retard, or Age, of the tide, the interval between the transit of the moon at which a tide originates and the appearance of the tide itself. It is found, in general, that any particular tide is not principally due to the moon's transit immediatelly proceeding, but to a transit which has occured some time before, and which is said to correspond to it. The retard of the tide is thus distinguished from the lunitidal interval. See under Retardation. rHam. Nav. Encyc.