recover

B1 · Intermediate

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

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

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

“Divers spent months attempting to recover the gold bullion from the shipwreck, battling unpredictable currents and poor visibility at the seabed.”

C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical

v. to get money or property back through a legal decision.

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

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

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

B2 · Upper Intermediate

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

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

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

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

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Military Technical

n. a specific way of holding a gun during military practice.

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

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

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