Tractate

n. [ L. tractatus a touching, handling, treatise. See Tractable, and Tract a treatise, Treaty. ] A treatise; a tract; an essay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Agreeing in substance with Augustin's, from whose fourteenth Tractate on St. John the words are translated. Hare. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. retractatus, p. p. of retractare. See Retract. ] To retract; to recant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]