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Reflect vs Retract - What's the difference?

reflect | retract |

In transitive terms the difference between reflect and retract

is that reflect is to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc while retract is to take back or withdraw something one has said.

reflect

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • A mirror reflects the light that shines on it.
  • To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • The moonlight reflected from the surface of water.
  • To mirror, or show the image of something.
    • The shop window reflected his image as he walked past.
  • To be mirrored.
    • His image reflected from the shop window as he walked past.
  • To agree with; to closely follow.
    • Entries in English dictionaries aim to reflect common usage.
  • To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
    • The team's victory reflects the Captain's abilities.
    The teacher's ability reflects well on the school.
  • *
    • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get
  • (senseid) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.
    • People do that sort of thing every day, without ever stopping to reflect on the consequences.
  • * 1985 , , Option Lock , page 229:
    • Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them.

    Synonyms

    * See also
    Derived terms
    * reflective * reflexion * unreflective * nonreflective * reflectorize

    retract

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To pull back inside.
    • An airplane retracts its wheels for flight.
  • (ambitransitive) To draw back; to draw up.
    • Muscles retract after amputation.
    A cat can retract its claws.
  • To take back or withdraw something one has said.
    • I retract all the accusations I made about the senator and sincerely hope he won't sue me.
  • * Bishop Stillingfleet
    • I would as freely have retracted this charge of idolatry as I ever made it.
  • * Granville
    • She will, and she will not; she grants, denies, / Consents, retracts , advances, and then flies.
  • To take back, as a grant or favour previously bestowed; to revoke.
    • (Woodward)

    Synonyms

    * take back * withcall * withdraw

    See also

    * unsay * unspeak