retire vs retreat

retire

verb
  • To withdraw; to take away. 

  • To stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness. 

  • To cease use or production of something. 

  • To go back or return; to withdraw or retreat, especially from public view; to go into privacy. 

  • To fit (a vehicle) with new tires. 

  • To recede; to fall or bend back. 

  • To go to bed. 

  • To voluntarily stop batting before being dismissed so that the next batsman can bat. 

  • To retreat from action or danger; to withdraw for safety or pleasure. 

  • To withdraw from circulation, or from the market; to take up and pay. 

  • To cause to retire; specifically, to designate as no longer qualified for active service; to place on the retired list. 

  • To make a play which results in a runner or the batter being out, either by means of a put out, fly out or strikeout. 

noun
  • The act of retiring, or the state of being retired. 

  • A place to which one retires. 

retreat

verb
  • To withdraw from a position, go back. 

  • To slope back. 

  • To withdraw military forces 

  • To shrink back due to generally warmer temperatures. 

  • a retreating forehead 

noun
  • A peaceful, quiet place affording privacy or security. 

  • The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position. 

  • A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base. 

  • A military ceremony to lower the flag. 

  • The move of a piece from a threatened position. 

  • A period of retirement, seclusion, or solitude. 

  • A period of meditation, prayer or study. 

  • The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant. 

  • A signal for a military withdrawal. 

  • Withdrawal by military force from a dangerous position or from enemy attack. 

How often have the words retire and retreat occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )