2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Retardation  \Re`tar*da"tion\,  n.  [L.  retardatio:  cf  F. 
  retardation.] 
  1.  The  act  of  retarding;  hindrance;  the  act  of  delaying;  as 
  the  retardation  of  the  motion  of  a  ship;  --  opposed  to 
  {acceleration}. 
 
  The  retardations  of  our  fluent  motion.  --De  Quinsey. 
 
  2.  That  which  retards;  an  obstacle;  an  obstruction. 
 
  Hills,  sloughs,  and  other  terrestrial  retardations. 
  --Sir  W. 
  Scott. 
 
  3.  (Mus.)  The  keeping  back  of  an  approaching  consonant  chord 
  by  prolonging  one  or  more  tones  of  a  previous  chord  into 
  the  intermediate  chord  which  follows;  --  differing  from 
  suspension  by  resolving  upwards  instead  of  downwards. 
 
  4.  The  extent  to  which  anything  is  retarded;  the  amount  of 
  retarding  or  delay. 
 
  {Retardation  of  the  tide}. 
  a  The  lunitidal  interval,  or  the  hour  angle  of  the  moon 
  at  the  time  of  high  tide  any  port;  the  interval 
  between  the  transit  of  the  moon  and  the  time  of  high 
  tide  next  following. 
  b  The  age  of  the  tide;  the  retard  of  the  tide.  See  under 
  {Retard},  n. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  retardation 
  n  1:  decrease  in  velocity  [syn:  {deceleration},  {slowing}]  [ant: 
  {acceleration}] 
  2:  lack  of  normal  development  of  intellectual  capacities  [syn: 
  {mental  retardation},  {backwardness},  {slowness},  {subnormality}] 
  3:  the  act  of  slowing  down  or  falling  behind  [syn:  {slowdown}, 
  {lag}] 

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