Verb

support, uphold, advocate, back, champion mean to favor actively one that meets opposition. support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.
//supports waterfront development uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.
//upheld the legitimacy of the military action advocate stresses urging or pleading.
//advocated prison reform back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.
// refusing to back the call for sanctions champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.
//championed the rights of children

recede, retreat, retract, back mean to move backward. recede implies a gradual withdrawing from a forward or high fixed point in time or space.
// the flood waters gradually receded retreat implies withdrawal from a point or position reached.
//retreating soldiers retract implies drawing back from an extended position.
// a cat retracting its claws back is used with up, down, out, or off to refer to any retrograde motion.
//backed off on the throttle