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.

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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

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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

Additionally, if individual car ownership declines, suburban homeowners could reclaim their garages and transform the square footage into livable space, Chi added.

From MarketWatch

Well, perhaps an Ashes series in Australia where they still have a chance to reclaim the urn after the first three Tests.

From BBC

All this comes as Hong Kong is set to reclaim its global IPO crown this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s a system built for people who already feel reasonably comfortable in the kitchen, who want to reclaim evenings, simplify feeding themselves, and experience the quiet, cumulative joy of cooking once and enjoying for weeks.

From Salon

Notably, it briefly reclaimed the 200-day on April 4 but failed to hold above it, with subsequent price action deteriorating quickly thereafter.

From Barron's

Related Words

• convert
• recover
• rescue
• restore
• salvage