zurückweichen
to retreat, to give ground, to step back
verb tsoo-RUEK-vy-khen Rare
Usage Note
zurückweichen describes controlled backward movement away from something — a crowd parting, a soldier retreating, or a person stepping back in surprise. Unlike fliehen (to flee), it does not necessarily imply panic; vor niemandem zurückweichen (to give ground to no one) is a figurative idiom.
Examples
"Die Menge wich vor dem anrückenden Wagen zurück."
Natural Translation
The crowd retreated before the approaching vehicle.
Literal Translation
The crowd retreated before the approaching vehicle back.
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