ret

1 of 2

verb

retted; retting

transitive verb

: to soak (something, such as flax or hemp) to loosen the fiber from the woody tissue

intransitive verb

: to become retted

ret

2 of 2

abbreviation

retired

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Middle Dutch

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of ret was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ret

Cite this Entry

“Ret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ret. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ret

verb
ˈret
retted; retting
: to soak a plant (as flax) to loosen the fiber from the woody tissue
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!