retreat, withdrawal

, (K, TA,) inf. n. قَهْقَرَةٌ, (TA,) He (a man) returned by the way by which he had come: (TA:) or i. q. رَجَعَ القَهْقَرى, (K,) i. e., [he returned backwards; or] he retired, going backwards, without turning his face towards the direction in which he went; (TA;) as also ↓ تَقَهْقَرَ. (K, TA.) Some hold, [contr. to the general opinion,] that this verb belongs to art. قهر. (TA.)

see 1.

A returning backwards; (S, K;) a retiring, going backwards, without turning the face towards the direction in which one goes: (TA:) the dual is قَهْقَرَانِ; (IAmb, K;) like as the dual of خَوْزَلَى is خَوْزَلَانِ; (TA;) without ى, (K,) because this letter is deemed difficult to pronounce with the ا and the ى of the dual. (TA.) When you say رَجَعْتُ القَهْقَرَى [I returned backwards; &c.], it is as though you said I returned with the returning which is known by this name; for القهقرى is a mode of returning. (S.) ― -b2- مَشَى القَهْقَرَى He reverted from the state in which he was, or from the course which he was following; revolted; apostatized. (Az, from a trad.)