ripiegare

to fold back

verb ree-pyeh-GAH-reh Rare

Origin: From ri- (again, back) + piegare (to fold, to bend), from Latin plicare.

Also means

to fall back

Usage Note

Ripiegare is a first-conjugation verb taking avere as auxiliary (intransitive 'to retreat' also uses avere). In military usage ripiegare means to retreat or fall back (le truppe hanno ripiegato). In everyday use it means to fold something back, or figuratively to make do with second best (ripiegate su un'alternativa).

Examples

"Le truppe hanno ripiegato verso il fiume."

Natural Translation

The troops fell back towards the river.

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