regain
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to get back a feeling or ability that you had before.
v.to recover a quality, state, or ability that was previously lost or diminished.
Simple“After a few days of rest, he began to regain his strength.”
In context“The patient worked diligently with the physical therapist to regain full mobility in her shoulder following the surgery.”
UsageOften used with abstract nouns like 'consciousness', 'control', or 'composure'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to get back something physical that you no longer had.
v.to recover possession of a physical object or territory.
Simple“The army fought hard to regain the lost territory.”
In context“The company launched a legal battle to regain control of its intellectual property after the partnership dissolved.”
UsageTransitive verb requiring a direct object.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.the amount a piece of cloth grows when the fibers get wet or swell.
n.the increase in the width of woven cloth caused by the swelling of fibers, used to calculate reed width.
Simple“The weaver calculated the regain to ensure the final fabric was the correct size.”
In context“Accurate measurement of regain is essential in industrial weaving to prevent the finished textile from deviating from the client's specifications.”
UsageUsually uncountable in this technical sense.
Teacher's tipThis is a highly specialized term; most learners will only encounter the verb form.
“The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have regained control of much of the capital, Khartoum while the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) remain entrenched across much of Darfur in western Sudan.”
“Those working in the industry regularly see a pattern where a patient is losing weight but ends up discontinuing treatment due to cost pressures and so regains it, said Hannbeck said.”