Much of Poland's new establishment, particularly foreign and local bigwigs with money invested in economic reform, blanches at the prospect of such a chaotic and possibly retrograde force taking power in September.

ECONOMIST: Poland

Mr Elliott said his party had opposed the devolution of justice powers in 2010 but that "it would be a retrograde step" if the Department of Justice were not to remain in Northern Ireland.

BBC: Continuation of the Department of Justice

So is Oracle's Larry Ellison, the second-richest man in the world, see ( FORBES GLOBAL, July 3), hopelessly retrograde because he likes to wear (Brioni) suits?

FORBES: Making Money In Style

But even women in the group have given ammunition to critics' claims that the Brotherhood's policies are retrograde.

CNN: The Muslim Brotherhood comes to America

It was both "wrong and retrograde", he said, exhibiting a little of that talent for alliteration so admired by Professor Higgins in Alfred Doolittle.

BBC: Who paved way for NHS regional pay?