Moistened or soaked to soften.

(transitive) To prepare (flax, hemp etc.) for further processing by soaking, which facilitates separation of fibers from the woody parts of the stem.

retired

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of ret

The act or process of preparing flax for use by soaking, maceration, and similar processes. / A place where flax is retted; a rettery.

present participle of ret

plural of retting

(law) Abbreviation of retirement.

The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant. / The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position.

To withdraw from a position, go back. / To withdraw military forces / (of a glacier) To shrink back due to generally warmer temperatures. / To slope back.