reclaim

American  

[ri-kleym] / rɪˈkleɪm /

verb (used with object)

1. to bring (uncultivated areas or wasteland) into a condition for cultivation or other use.

2. to recover (substances) in a pure or usable form from refuse, discarded articles, etc.

   Synonyms:

   restore, regain

3. to bring back to a preferable manner of living, sound principles, ideas, etc.

4. to tame.

5. re-claim.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to protest; object.

noun

1. reclamation.

   beyond reclaim.

reclaim British  

/ rɪˈkleɪm /

verb

1. to claim back

   to reclaim baggage

2. to convert (desert, marsh, waste ground, etc) into land suitable for growing crops

3. to recover (useful substances) from waste products

4. to convert (someone) from sin, folly, vice, etc

5. falconry to render (a hawk or falcon) tame

---

noun

1. the act of reclaiming or state of being reclaimed

Related Words

See recover.

Other Word Forms

• nonreclaimable adjective
• reclaimable adjective
• reclaimant noun
• reclaimer noun
• unreclaimable adjective

Etymology

Origin of reclaim

First recorded in 1250–1300; (verb) Middle English recla(i)men, from Old French reclamer (tonic stem reclaim- ), from Latin reclāmāre “to cry out against,” equivalent to re- + clāmāre “to claim”; (noun) Middle English reclaim(e), from Old French reclaim, reclam, derivative of reclamer ; re-, claim

Example Sentences

Flames and smoke erupted from a luxury hotel on Dubai's Palm, the landmark, palm tree-shaped development of land reclaimed from the sea, after a loud bang sent passers-by scurrying for cover.

From Barron's

However bitcoin will need to reclaim $73,000 to achieve a more significant recovery, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal

The freed-up two hours were immediately filled by: one new check-in meeting, three “bandwidth review” sessions to discuss how people were using their reclaimed bandwidth, and a mandatory survey about whether people felt less bandwidth-constrained.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bisha said she would keep fighting until she reclaimed her identity -- even if it meant taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

From Barron's

The stock would need to rally 71% to reclaim the record high it hit in late June.

From Barron's

Related Words

• convert
• recover
• rescue
• restore
• salvage