Definition of "reclaim"

reclaim

/ɹɪˈkleɪm/

verb
third-person singular simple present reclaims, present participle reclaiming, simple past and past participle reclaimed
1. (transitive) To return land to a suitable condition for use.
2. (transitive) To obtain useful products from waste; to recycle.
3. (transitive) To claim something back; to repossess.
4. (transitive, dated) To return someone to a proper course of action, or correct an error; to reform.
  Quotations
  His Highneſſe pleaſure is that he ſhould liue,And be reclaim’d with princely lenitie.
  c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, (please specify the page)
  Your errour, in time reclaimed, will be veniall.
  1609, Edward Hoby, A Letter to Mr. T[heophilus] H[iggons], late Minister: now Fugitive ... in answere of his first Motive
  They, hardened more by what might most reclaim, / Grieving to see his glory […] took envy.
  1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
  It is the intention of Providence, in all the various expressions of his goodness, to reclaim mankind.
  a. 1729, John Rogers, The Goodness of God a Motive to Repentance
5. (transitive, archaic) To tame or domesticate a wild animal.
  Quotations
  an eagle well reclaimed
  1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
6. (transitive, archaic) To call back from flight or disorderly action; to call to, for the purpose of subduing or quieting.
  Quotations
  They were the head-strong horses, who hurried Octavius […] along, and were deaf to his reclaiming them.
  1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
7. (transitive, archaic) To cry out in opposition or contradiction; to exclaim against anything; to contradict; to take exceptions.
  Quotations
  Scripture reclaims, and the whole Catholic church reclaims, and Christian ears would not bear it.
  1719, Daniel Waterland, A Vindication of Christ's Divinit
  At a later period Grote reclaimed strongly against Mill's setting Whately above Hamilton.
  1882, Alexander Bain, Biography of James Mill
  True it is he was very wild in his youth till God (the best Chymick who can fix quicksilver it self) gratiously reclaim'd him
  1642, Thomas Fuller, The Holy State, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel for John Williams, […]
8. (obsolete, rare) To draw back; to give way.
  Quotations
  Yet would he not perswaded be for ought, Ne from his currish will a whit reclame.
  1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie
9. (intransitive, law, Scotland) To appeal from the Lord Ordinary to the inner house of the Court of Session.
10. (sociology) To bring back a term into acceptable usage, usually of a slur, and usually by the group that was once targeted by that slur.
noun
plural reclaims
1. (obsolete, falconry) The calling back of a hawk.
2. (obsolete) The bringing back or recalling of a person; the fetching of someone back.
  Quotations
  The louing couple need no reskew feare, / But leasure had, and libertie to frame / Their purpost flight, free from all mens reclame […] .
  1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie
3. An effort to take something back, to reclaim something.
4. baggage reclaim

Definition of "reclaim"

reclaim

verb

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noun

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