▪ I. ˈretread, n. Chiefly U.S., Austral., and N.Z.
[retread v.2]
1. A tyre supplied with a fresh tread; = remould n.
| 1914 Auto-Motor Jrnl. 4 Apr. 423 So exact is the work..that a retread is scarcely distinguishable from an original. 1921 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 10 Apr. 10/6 Always carry a ‘retread’ as a spare. Don't throw away your old casings until you have had them retreaded at least once. 1943 Sun (Baltimore) 4 Feb. 7/2 Retread is new rubber over the same area as recap, but all the way down to the cord fabric. 1968 Wanganui (N.Z.) Chron. 15 Nov. 10/6 (Advt.), Insist on safe shoulder retreads. 1973 A. Cooke Amer. 12, I found myself rediscovering—on re-tread tires at the compulsory thirty-five miles an hour—the whole American landscape. 1976 Drive Sept.–Oct. 77/1 A retread is a reprocessed tyre made from a secondhand carcass welded to new tread rubber. 1977 Bulletin (Sydney) 22 Jan. 58/3 (Advt.), Because Bandag retreads run longer, you'll spend less time and labour changing worn tyres. |
2. transf. and fig. a. Mil. slang. A retired soldier recalled for (temporary) service, a ‘dug-out’. Also in extended use, esp. of retrained persons.
| 1941 Salt 22 Dec. 36/2 Characteristically the Australians call a small reconnaissance tank a ‘dingo’, and a 1914–1918 soldier enlisted a second time a ‘retread’. 1945 Baker Austral. Lang. ii. viii. 152 A soldier of the 1914–18 war who has joined up again is a retread. 1948 Amer. Legion Mag. Oct. 26 Retreads will reune: Retreads, men who served in both World Wars..will hold their first reunion..at Miami. 1953 Economist 17 Oct. 178/2 The pro-Eisenhower Chicago Daily News called his appointees ‘Governor Stratton's team of Republican retreads’. 1962 Listener 16 Aug. 232/2 They also have shorter courses for older men, known rather depressingly as ‘re-tread’ courses. 1965 C. Koch Casual Company i. i. 7 I've got retreads, and chickens bloated with fever, but they turn to at reveille. 1977 D. Beaty Excellency ii. 21 A diplomat with thirty years experience..not the re⁓tread given a job with other unwanted Civil Servants. |
b. Of things.
| 1964 Lebende Sprachen IX. 35/3 Mr Kennedy's plans are retreads of older projects. 1976 Times Lit. Suppl. 1 Oct. 1232/1 An all-too-familiar exegesis that has nothing new to say about Eliot.., a critical retread representing the kind of discussion that came in the 1930s. 1979 Arizona Daily Star 22 July (Parade Suppl.) 8/3 It is hard to imagine that we shall face another 10 years of the same romantic nostalgia and retread pop culture as was dished out by the '70's. |
▪ II. reˈtread, v.1
(riː-)
[re- 5 a.]
trans. and intr. To tread again or anew.
| trans. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. Columns 740 So that re-treading their eternall trace, Th' one bears the Trebble, th' other bears the Base. a 1769 J. G. Cooper Theagenes to Sylvia 59 The pleasing paths of Venus I re⁓trod, No more a mortal. 1795 Southey Joan of Arc iv. 168 The warlike Virgin pass'd along, And much revolving in her troubled mind, Retrod the court. 1816 Bentham Chrestom. 36 At this next, and other succeeding stages, the same ground will be retrodden. 1833 Mrs. Browning Prometh. Bound 1140 For thyself, depart, Re-tread thy steps in haste. 1863 Sat. Rev. 11 Their life is one of perpetual change. They never re-tread the same ground. |
| intr. a 1847 Eliza Cook Don't you remember? i. 7 We re-tread where young Passion first stealthily rambled. |
▪ III. reˈtread, v.2
[re- 5 c.]
trans.
1. To furnish (a tyre) with a fresh tread.
| 1908 Daily Report 7 Feb. 11/4 (Advt.), 10–12 h.p. Wolseley, in excellent condition, front pneumatics, just been retreaded. 1912 Motor Manual (ed. 14) iii. 107 It is possible, in most cases, to have them retreaded by the makers. |
2. fig. To retrain (a person) or provide with fresh employment, esp. after initial retirement. U.S. slang.
| 1963 Lafayette Alumnus Apr. 22/1 ‘Retreaded’..indicated that upon retirement, De Kay, Furness [etc.]..gave their learning, experience, and wisdom a capping. 1966 Wall St. Jrnl. 2 Dec. 1/4 To ‘retread’ many retired nurses and other skilled professionals through refresher courses. |
Hence reˈtreader; reˈtreaded ppl. a., reˈtreading vbl. n.
| 1914 Auto-Motor Jrnl. 4 Apr. 423 During the retreading..it is very often found that the casing requires strengthening. 1921 Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §608 Tyre retreader, attaches new treads to worn tyre covers. 1937 Sci. Amer. Dec. 347/1 Retreading..involves nothing more nor less than replacing with new live rubber the tread which has become worn smooth under the abrasive action of the road. 1951 U. V. Troubridge tr. Guareschi's Little World of Don Camillo 207 The explosion had..been caused..by one of the retreaded tyres of the lorry. 1964 G. Mitchell Death of Delft Blue xxi. 228 Look over their used cars and re⁓treaded tyres. 1976 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 3 July 6/1 A retreaded provincial politician who was fired from the Davis Cabinet. 1977 Financial Times 4 June 5/3 The retreading industry would welcome it, because casings are their raw material. |