看得見的東西往後退
最接近核心畫面的一族：實際的東西離開你的位置。看的人不動，退的是景物或水線，所以這個字總是從旁觀者的角度寫。
verb · B2
If something you can see or hear recedes, it moves further and further away from you until you cannot see or hear it any more.
遠去、漸漸看不見
核心畫面
You can think of recede as a slow pulling back. Something that was near you moves away, step by step, and you stay where you are and watch it get smaller or weaker. Nothing snaps or vanishes; the line where it used to be simply moves back.
recede 可以想成一個慢慢往後退的動作。原本靠近你的東西一步一步離開，你站著不動，看著它變小、變輕、變淡。沒有什…更多收起
recede 可以想成一個慢慢往後退的動作。原本靠近你的東西一步一步離開，你站著不動，看著它變小、變輕、變淡。沒有什麼突然斷掉或消失，只是原本那條界線往後移了。海水退、燈光遠去、痛感退掉、髮線後移，畫面都是同一個，只是退的是不同的東西。From the word’s history
The evidence packet traces recede to Latin recedere, 'to withdraw, to go back', from re- ('back') plus cedere ('to go'), reaching English through Middle French receder and Middle English receden. The same cedere shows up in proceed and precede.
資料裡的字源說 recede 來自拉丁文 recedere「退回去」，由 re-（往回）加 cedere（走）組成，經中古法文 receder 和中古英文 receden 進入英文。字面就是「往回走」，和今天所有的用法都對得上。同一個 cedere 也在 proceed（往前走）和 precede（走在前面）裡面。
Wiktionary, 'recede' etymology, supplied verbatim in this evidence packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:590855528)
Three branches
心裡的感覺與可能性退掉
把同一個往後退的畫面搬到看不見的東西上。痛、害怕、記憶、希望不是斷電式地消失，而是一格一格退遠，所以常配 gradually、slowly。
verb · B2
If a memory, a feeling, or the chance of something happening recedes, it slowly becomes weaker and less important until it is gone.
漸漸消退
臉上的線條往後退
這一族退的是身體上的一條線。髮線是好幾年慢慢往後移，下巴則是本來就往後斜，兩個都用 -ing 形式當形容詞，學的時候可以一起記。
verb · B2
If someone's hair recedes, it slowly stops growing at the front of the head, so the line where the hair starts moves back and more forehead shows.
髮線後退