to beat a gong as a signal for troops to withdraw; by extension, to call off a battle or finish a task or project

To hastily or sloppily retreat from a task; to conclude a matter in a half-hearted or perfunctory manner (literally: to hastily withdraw troops)

to work vaguely and then retreat; sloppy and half-hearted; to do things in a careless way without finishing properly

to recruit soldiers and buy horses; to raise or strengthen a military force