verb, -trieved, -triev⋅ing, noun | 1. | to recover or regain: to retrieve the stray ball. |
| 2. | to bring back to a former and better state; restore: to retrieve one's fortunes. |
| 3. | to make amends for: to retrieve an error. |
| 4. | to make good; repair: to retrieve a loss. |
| 5. | Hunting. (of hunting dogs) to fetch (killed or wounded game). |
| 6. | to draw back or reel in (a fishing line). |
| 7. | to rescue; save. |
| 8. | (in tennis, squash, handball, etc.) to make an in-bounds return of (a shot requiring running with the hand extended). |
| 9. | Computers. to locate and read (data) from storage, as for display on a monitor. |
| 10. | Hunting. to retrieve game. |
| 11. | to retrieve a fishing line. |
| 12. | an act of retrieving; recovery. |
| 13. | the possibility of recovery. |
re·trieve (rĭ-trēv') v. re·trieved, re·triev·ing, re·trieves v. tr.
To find and bring back game: a dog trained to retrieve. n.
[Middle English retreven, from Old French retrover, retruev- : re-, re- + trover, to find; see trover.] re·triev'a·bil'i·ty n., re·triev'a·ble adj., re·triev'a·bly adv. |