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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

retractable en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /ɹiˈtɹæk.tɪ.bəl/
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ɹəˈtɹæk.tə.bəl/

Etymology

Etymology tree English retract Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English retractable From retract + -able.

Meanings

  1. (not-comparable) Capable of being retracted; retractile.
    • Features such as trackless doors, mercury-type door interlocks, roof-mounted door fault indicator lights, rubber window glazing, improved retractable shoegear and a modified electro-pneumatic brake system designed to facilitate maintenance and improve reliability, which have proved their worth on the prototype trains, are continued in the new stock. 1960 February, “The first of London's new Piccadilly Line trains is delivered”, in Trains Illustrated, page 94:
    • He says the company's FLIRT design, in particular its retractable steps, provides greater accessibility, while the technology is highly innovative and reliable. 2021 May 19, David Clough, “Swiss precision meets UK growth”, in RAIL, number 931, page 57:
    • Retractable steps and handrails are provided on each side of the cars. The steps, which are under the control of the guard, are operated by hand levers in the entrance vestibule. 1952 September, “Modernised Pull-and-Push Trains”, in Railway Magazine, page 617:

Deriveds

retractable rooftop · retractable pencil · retractable bridge · irretractable · unretractable · thermoretractable · retractably · nonretractable

Relateds

pull-down

Translations (23)

gl retractábel (capable of being retracted) · fr rétractable (capable of being retracted) · oc retractable (capable of being retracted) · cmn 伸缩自如的 (capable of being retracted) · ru убира́ющийся (capable of being retracted) · it retraibile (capable of being retracted) · it rientrabile (capable of being retracted) · gv yn-hirkaghey (capable of being retracted) · ca retractable (capable of being retracted) · gl retractable (capable of being retracted) · ru втя́гивающийся (capable of being retracted) · de einziehbar (capable of being retracted) · it retrattile (capable of being retracted) · it ritrattabile (capable of being retracted) · es escamoteable (capable of being retracted) · fr rétractile (capable of being retracted) · fi sisäänvedettävä (capable of being retracted) · io retraktebla (capable of being retracted) · gv yn-yrjaghey (capable of being retracted) · el ανοιγοκλειόμενος (capable of being retracted) · sv infällbar (capable of being retracted) · sv indragbar (capable of being retracted) · gv yn-chraplaghey (capable of being retracted)

retractable en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /ɹiˈtɹæk.tɪ.bəl/
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ɹəˈtɹæk.tə.bəl/

Etymology

Etymology tree English retract Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English retractable From retract + -able.

Meanings

  1. A retractable pen.
    • Somewhere in the cosmos, he said, […] there was also a planet entirely given over to Biro life forms. […] Veet Voogajig suddenly claimed to have found this planet, and to have worked there for a while driving a limousine for a family of cheap green retractables […] 1979 October 12, Douglas Adams, chapter 21, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, London: Pan Books, →ISBN:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
retractables Number=Plur lexicographic