recover

Verb (1)

recover (third-person singular simple present recovers, present participle recovering, simple past and past participle recovered)

1. (transitive) To get back, to regain (a physical thing; in astronomy and navigation, sight of a thing or a signal).
   • After days of inquiries, he finally recovered his lost wallet.
   • For days telescopes surveyed the skies to recover the small asteroid.
2. (transitive) To salvage, to extricate, to rescue (a thing or person).
   • They recovered three of the explorers very much alive, then another, wracked with severe hypothermia, who was taken to hospital.
   • Network Rail doesn't expect the line through Carmont to open for around a month, as it faces the mammoth task of recovering the two power cars and four coaches from ScotRail's wrecked train, repairing bridge 325, stabilising earthworks around the landslip, and replacing the track.2020 August 26, “Network News: Mid-September before line reopens, says Network Rail”, in Rail, page 10
3. (transitive) To replenish to, resume (a good state of mind or body).
   • At the top of the hill I asked to stop for a few minutes to recover my strength.
   • Whether you need to recover from a stressful day, a strenuous workout or even an injury or surgery, restorative yoga may be just the thing for you.2017 February 17, Dana Santas, “Recovering from surgery or stress? Yoga can help”, in CNN
4. (intransitive) To obtain a positive judgement; to win in a lawsuit.
   • The plaintiff recovered in his suit, being awarded declaratory relief and a clearing of his name.
5. (transitive) To gain as compensation or reparation, usually by formal legal process.
   • to recover damages in trespass; to recover debt and costs in a legal action or that is owing
   • to recover lands in ejectment or common recovery

   Synonyms:

   recoup

6. (obsolete, transitive) To reach (a place), arrive at.
   • The forest is not three leagues off; / If we recover that, we're sure enough.c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
   • But with much ado the Christians recovered to Antioch, having ſcarce a third part of them left, their horſes all dead, and themſelves ſcarce mounted on their legs, miſerably weak; as what the mercy of ſword, plague, and famine had pleaſed to ſpare.1639, Thomas Fuller, “Theobald King of Navarre Maketh an Unsuccessfull Voyage into Palestine”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to...
7. (archaic, transitive) To restore to good health, consciousness, life etc.
   • The wine in my bottle will recover him.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...
   • And that they may recouer themſelues out of the ſnare of the deuill, who are taken captiue by him at his will.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Timothy 2:26, column 2
8. (archaic, transitive) To make good by reparation; to make up for; to retrieve; to repair the loss or injury of.
   • to recover lost time
   • Even good men have […]many failings and lapses to lament and recover.a. 1729, John Rogers, The Difficulties of Obtaining Salvation
9. (intransitive) To regain one's composure, balance etc.
   • Spinning round, he caught a stone with his ankle, but recovered quickly before turning to face me.
   • Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC
10. (intransitive) To get better, to regain health or prosperity.
    • I was hurt, but I knew I’d recover, given time.
    • Without calling in Business Recovery experts, the company saw trade and investor confidence recover sharply in the wake of the crisis.
11. (archaic, transitive) To recover from.
    • To the end of his days, he never fully recovered his daughter's death.

Noun

recover (plural recovers)

1. (obsolete) Recovery.
   • It was neuer in my thoughte saide laūcelot to withholde the quene from my lord Arthur / but in soo moche she shold haue ben dede for my sake / me semeth it was my parte to saue her lyf and putte her from that daunger tyl better recouer myghte come / & now I thanke god sayd sir Launcelot that the...1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xiiij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XX
2. A position of holding a firearm during exercises, whereby the lock is at shoulder height and the sling facing out.
3. (dated) The forward movement in rowing, after one stroke to take another (recovery).

Verb (2)

UK/ɹiːˈkʌvə/US/ɹiˈkʌvɚ/

recover (third-person singular simple present recovers, present participle recovering, simple past and past participle recovered)

1. To cover again.
2. To add a new roof membrane or steep-slope covering over an existing one.