Retreated in tidy fashion? (5)
I believe the answer is:
ebbed
'retreated in tidy fashion?' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with motion as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
This is the entire clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ebbed that I've seen before include "Went out like tide" , "Diminished" , "Flowed back or receded" .)