Category:Reclaim

Re*claim", v. t.

Defn: to claim back; to demand the return of as a right; to attempt To recover possession of. A tract of land [holland] snatched from an element perpetually Reclaiming its prior occupancy. W. Coxe.

Reclaim Re*claim", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reclaimed; p. pr. & vb. n. Reclaiming.] Etym: [f. réclamer, l. reclamare, reclamatum, to cry out Against; pref. re- re- + clamare to call or cry aloud. See claim.]

1. To call back, as a hawk to the wrist in falconry, by a certain Customary call. Chaucer.

2. To call back from flight or disorderly action; to call to, for the Purpose of subduing or quieting. The headstrong horses hurried octavius. . . along, and were deaf to His reclaiming them. Dryden.

3. To reduce from a wild to a tamed state; to bring under discipline; -- said especially of birds trained for the chase, but also of other Animals. "an eagle well reclaimed." Dryden.

4. Hence: to reduce to a desired state by discipline, labor, Cultivation, or the like; to rescue from being wild, desert, waste, Submerged, or the like; as, to reclaim wild land, overflowed land, Etc.

5. To call back to rectitude from moral wandering or transgression; To draw back to correct deportment or course of life; to reform. It is the intention of providence, in all the various expressions of His goodness, to reclaim mankind. Rogers.

6. To correct; to reform; -- said of things. [obs.] Your error, in time reclaimed, will be venial. Sir e. Hoby.

7. To exclaim against; to gainsay. [obs.] Fuller.

Syn. -- to reform; recover; restore; amend; correct.

Reclaim Re*claim", v. i.

1. To cry out in opposition or contradiction; to exclaim against Anything; to contradict; to take exceptions. Scripture reclaims, and the whole catholic church reclaims, and Christian ears would not hear it. Waterland. At a later period grote reclaimed strongly against mill's setting Whately above hamilton. Bain.

2. To bring anyone back from evil courses; to reform. They, hardened more by what might most reclaim, grieving to see his Glory. . . took envy. Milton.

3. To draw back; to give way. [r. & obs.] Spenser.

Reclaim Re*claim", n.

Defn: the act of reclaiming, or the state of being reclaimed; Reclamation; recovery. [obs.]