retrieve

¹re·trieve

verb \ri-ˈtrēv\

re·trievedre·triev·ing

Definition of RETRIEVE

transitive verb

1

: to locate and bring in (killed or wounded game)

2

: to call to mind again

3

: to get back again : regain

4

a : rescue, salvage

b : to return (as a ball or shuttlecock that is difficult to reach) successfully

5

: restore, revive <his writing retrieves the past>

6

: to remedy the evil consequences of : correct

7

: to get and bring back; especially : to recover (as information) from storage

intransitive verb

: to bring in game <a dog that retrieves well>; also : to bring back an object thrown by a person

— re·triev·abil·i·ty \-ˌtrē-və-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— re·triev·able \-ˈtrē-və-bəl\ adjective

Examples of RETRIEVE

1. Many archaeological relics were retrieved from the site.
2. Police retrieved his stolen car.
3. You can quickly retrieve data.
4. The files were retrieved from the computer.
5. He was able to retrieve the document.
6. The dog is learning how to retrieve.
7. The dog has been trained to retrieve birds.

Origin of RETRIEVE

Middle English retreven, from Anglo-French retrueve-, present stem of retrover to find again, from re- + trover to compose, invent, find, from Vulgar Latin *tropare — more at troubadour

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to RETRIEVE

Synonyms

get back, reacquire, recapture, reclaim, re-collect, recoup, regain, repossess, retake, recover

Related Words

recruit, replenish; redeem, repurchase; rescue

Near Antonyms

lose, mislay, misplace

Rhymes with RETRIEVE

Abib, achieve, aggrieve, believe, bereave, cap sleeve, conceive, deceive, French leave, frost heave, Hoccleve, inweave, khedive, motive, naive, perceive, pet peeve, plain weave, qui vive, receive, relieve, reprieve, shirtsleeve, shore leave, sick leave, unreeve, unweave, upheave

²retrieve

noun

Definition of RETRIEVE

1

: retrieval

2

: the successful return of a ball that is difficult to reach or control (as in tennis)

First Known Use of RETRIEVE

1697