duty to retreat
[ doo-tee tuh ri-treet, dyoo-tee ]
/ ˈdu ti tə rɪˈtrit, ˈdyu ti /
noun Law.
a legal principle that requires a person as a first response to back away or flee from a threatening situation rather than attempt self-defense by deadly force: Duty to retreat has always been a debatable doctrine.
Compare
stand your ground.
Origin of duty to retreat
First recorded in 1780–90
Words nearby duty to retreat
dutiful,
dutton,
duty,
duty bound,
duty officer,
duty to retreat,
duty-bound,
duty-free,
duty-free shop,
duumvir,
duumvirate