Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Reclaim
Re-claim′
(rē-klām′)
, Verb.
T.
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.
Re-claim′
(rē̍-klām′)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Reclaimed
(rē̍-klāmd′)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Reclaiming
.] [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.
Re-claim′
(rē̍-klām′)
, Verb.
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
Grieving to see his glory, . . . took envy.
reclaim
,Grieving to see his glory, . . . took envy.
Milton.
3.
To draw back; to give way.
[R. & Obs.]
Spenser.
Re-claim′
,Noun.
The act of reclaiming, or the state of being reclaimed; reclamation; recovery.
[Obs.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Reclaim
RECLA'IM
,Verb.
T.
1.
To claim back; to demand to have returned. The vender may reclaim the goods.2.
To call back from error, wandering or transgression, to the observance of moral rectitude; to reform; to bring back to correct deportment or course of life.It is the intention of Providence in its various expressions of goodness, to reclaim mankind.
3.
To reduce to the state desired.Much labor is requir'd in trees, to tame their wild disorder, and in ranks reclaim.
4.
To call back; to restrain.Or is her tow'ring flight reclaim'd by seas from Icarus' downfall nam'd?
5.
To recall; to cry out against.The headstrong horses hurried Octavius along, and were deaf to his reclaiming them. [Unusual.]
6.
To reduce from a wild to a tame or domestic state; to tame; to make gentle; as, to reclaim a hawk, an eagle or a wild beast.7.
To demand or challenge; to make a claim; a French use.8.
To recover.