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REFERENCE

recover

v. · n.
US //ɹɪˈkəvɝ// re·cov·er
  1. 1 to get better (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Medicine

    to become healthy or happy again after an illness, injury, or difficult time.

    to return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength. Often used intransitively with the preposition 'from'.

    Example

    It took her nearly three weeks to fully recover from the flu.

    Example

    Economists predict the region will take several years to recover from the structural damage caused by the sudden collapse of its primary industry.
  2. 2 to get something back (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to find and get back something that was lost, stolen, or taken away.

    to regain possession or control of something formerly lost or surrendered. Transitive — requires a direct object.

    Example

    The police were able to recover the stolen car two days later.

    Example

    Divers spent months attempting to recover the gold bullion from the shipwreck, battling unpredictable currents and poor visibility at the seabed.
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  1. 3 to win compensation (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    to get money or property back through a legal decision.

    to obtain a judgement for or receive a sum of money as compensation through a formal legal process.

    Example

    The company is trying to recover the costs of the damaged equipment.

    Example

    The plaintiff sought to recover damages for breach of contract, arguing that the defendant's negligence resulted in significant lost revenue.

    Usage

    Often used in the context of damages or debts.
  2. 4 to cover again (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to put a new cover on something, like a chair or a roof.

    to provide with a new surface or covering. Often hyphenated as 're-cover' to distinguish from the sense of regaining health.

    Example

    We decided to recover the old sofa with a bright blue fabric.

    Example

    The contractor advised that it would be more cost-effective to recover the existing roof membrane than to replace the entire structure.

    Teacher's tip

    In writing, use a hyphen (re-cover) to make it clear you mean 'to cover again' rather than 'to get better'.
    • resurface
    • reupholster
  3. 5 military position (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Military

    a specific way of holding a gun during military practice.

    a specific position in which a firearm is held during drills, typically with the lock at shoulder height.

    Example

    The soldiers moved their rifles to the recover position on the sergeant's command.

    Example

    During the drill, the recruits were instructed to bring their pieces to the recover, ensuring the slings faced outward as per regulation.

Etymology 1

From Middle English recoveren, rekeveren, from Anglo-Norman recoverer and Old French recovrer, from Latin recuperāre, alternative form of reciperāre. Doublet of recuperate. The noun is from Middle English recover, from the verb.

Etymology 2

From re- + cover.

Word family

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