# ret

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɹɛt/ · frequency rank #23,085

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

## Etymology
From Middle English retten, reten; perhaps from Middle Dutch rēten, reeten (compare Middle Low German rōten; Middle High German rōzen), or from Old Norse reyta (compare Norwegian røyta, Swedish röta); all from Proto-Germanic *rautijaną (“to make mellow or soft”), from Proto-Indo-European *rewd- (“to tear; rend; rip”). Related to rot.

## Easily confused with
- **RS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rs)
- **RT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rt)
- **RM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rm)
- **RN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rn)
- **RI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-ri)
- **RP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rp)
- **RF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rf)
- **RV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rv)
- **RR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rr)
- **RL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rl)
- **RH** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rh)
- **RW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rw)
- **run** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-run)
- **row** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-row)
- **rid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rid)
- **Rio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rio)
- **rob** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rob)
- **rip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-rip)
- **Roy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-roy)
- **Ron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ret-vs-ron)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ret