fall back
phr. v..phr. v.. to move back or retreat, often because you are being attacked or forced to leave a position.
phr. v.. to retreat or withdraw, typically in a military context or under pressure from an opposing force; can also describe a decrease in value or position.
The soldiers had to fall back when they ran out of ammunition.
As the protesters pushed forward, the police line was forced to fall back toward the station.
After the initial surge in stock prices, the market began to fall back as investors grew cautious about the upcoming quarterly reports.
usually used without a direct object when meaning to retreat.
contrast with 'fall back on', which requires an object and means to use something as a backup plan; 'fall back' is the physical or metaphorical movement away.
The army fell back the hill.The army fell back from the hill.in the sense of retreating, 'fall back' is intransitive and cannot take a direct object.