retrieve

English

Etymology

Recorded in Middle English c.1410 as retreve (altered to retrive in the 16th century; modern form is from c.1650), from Middle French retruev-, stem of Old French (=modern) retrouver "to find again", itself from re- "again" + trouver "to find" (probably from Vulgar Latin *tropare (“to compose”))

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːv

Verb

retrieve (third-person singular simple present retrieves, present participle retrieving, simple past and past participle retrieved)

1. (transitive) To regain or get back something.
2. (transitive) To rescue (a) creature(s)
3. (transitive) To salvage something
4. (transitive) To remedy or rectify something.
5. (transitive) To remember or recall something.
6. (transitive) To fetch or carry back something.
7. (transitive) To fetch and bring in game.

   The cook cares not what's shot, only what's actually retrieved

8. (intransitive) To fetch and bring in game systematically.

   Hound breeds called 'retrievers' were selected for retrieving

9. (intransitive) To fetch or carry back systematically, notably as a game.

   Most dogs love retrieving, never mind the (improvised) toy

10. (sports) (transitive) To make a difficult but successful return of the ball.

Derived terms

• retriever

Related terms

• retrieval

Translations

to regain or get back something

Arabic: استرجع (istaraja') Chinese: Mandarin: 重拾 (zh) Dutch: terugkbrengen, terugkrijgen Finnish: saada takaisin German: zurückholen (de) Greek: παίρνω (el) (paírno), πίσω (el) (píso)

Italian: recuperare (it) Polish: odzyskiwać (pl), odzyskać (pl) Portuguese: recuperar (pt)

to rescue (a) creature(s)

Dutch: redden (nl) Finnish: pelastaa (fi) Italian: recuperare (it)

Polish: ratować (pl), uratować (pl) Portuguese: recuperar (pt)

to salvage something

Dutch: bergen (nl) Finnish: pelastaa (fi) Italian: recuperare (it)

Polish: ratować (pl), uratować (pl) Portuguese: recuperar (pt)

to remedy or rectify something

Dutch: herstellen, rechtzetten Finnish: pelastaa (fi) Greek: επανορθώνω (el) (epanorthóno), διορθώνω (el) (diorthóno)

Italian: rimediare (it), recuperare (it) Polish: naprawiać, naprawić, zaradzić Portuguese: recuperar (pt), remediar (pt)

to remember or recall something

Dutch: opduikelen, in herinnering roepen Finnish: muistaa (fi)

Polish: przypominać, przypomnieć, przywoływać (coś) z pamięci Swedish: minnas (sv)

to fetch or carry back something

Finnish: noutaa (fi)

Polish: przynosić (pl), przynieść (pl)

to fetch or bring in game

Dutch: apporteren

Slovene: prinesti (sl)

make a difficult ball return

Dutch: redden (nl)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Portuguese: recuperar

Noun

retrieve (plural retrieves)

1. A retrieval
2. (sports) The return of a difficult ball
3. (obsolete) A seeking again; a discovery.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Ben Jonson to this entry?)

4. (obsolete) The recovery of game once sprung.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Nares to this entry?)

Translations

retrieval — see retrieval

return of a difficult ball

Dutch: redding (nl)