ret

To prepare (flax, hemp etc.) for further processing by soaking, which facilitates separation of fibers from the woody parts of the stem.

the hemp was retted / and soon the retting was done / and swiftly it was hung up / and hurriedly it was dried […].

the lowland nearly silent except for water-thrushes, the harvested fields, the smell of hops being dried in kilns, flax pulled up and piled in sheaves, in local practice not to be retted till the spring

Abbreviation of retired.

Clipping of reiteration.