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
- IPA(key): /ɹɪˈtɹiːv/, /ɹəˈtɹiːv/, /ɹiˈtɹiːv/
Audio (UK) (file)
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -iːv
Verb
retrieve (third-person singular simple present retrieves, present participle retrieving, simple past and past participle retrieved)
- (transitive) To regain or get back something.
- to retrieve one's character or independence; to retrieve a thrown ball
- 1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], OCLC 403869432:
- With late repentance now they would retrieve / The bodies they forsook, and wish to live.
- (transitive) To rescue (a creature).
- (transitive) To salvage something
- (transitive) To remedy or rectify something.
- (transitive) To remember or recall something.
- (transitive) To fetch or carry back something, especially (computing) a file or data record.
- 1714, Rev. Dean Berkeley, letter to Alexander Pope, May 1, 1714
- to retrieve them from their cold, trivial conceits
- 1714, Rev. Dean Berkeley, letter to Alexander Pope, May 1, 1714
- (transitive) To fetch and bring in game.
- The cook doesn't care what's shot, only what's actually retrieved.
- (intransitive) To fetch and bring in game systematically.
- Dog breeds called 'retrievers' were selected for retrieving.
- (intransitive) To fetch or carry back systematically, notably as a game.
- Most dogs love retrieving, regardless of what object is thrown.
- (sports, transitive) To make a difficult but successful return of the ball.
- (obsolete) To remedy the evil consequence of, to repair (a loss or damage).
- 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], OCLC 5634253, (please specify the page):
- Accept my sorrow, and retrieve my fall.
- 1795–1797, Edmund Burke, “(please specify |letter=1 to 4)”, in [Letters on a Regicide Peace], London: [Rivington]:
- There is much to be done […] and much to be retrieved.
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Derived terms
- retriever
Related terms
- retrieval
Translations
to regain or get back something
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to rescue
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to salvage something
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to remedy or rectify something
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to remember or recall something
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to fetch or carry back something
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to fetch and bring in game
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to fetch and bring in game systematically
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to fetch or carry back systematically, notably as a game
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to make a difficult ball return
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to remedy the evil consequence of, to repair a loss or damage
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Noun
retrieve (plural retrieves)
- A retrieval
- (sports) The return of a difficult ball
- (obsolete) A seeking again; a discovery.
- (obsolete) The recovery of game once sprung.
- 1625 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Staple of Newes. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Robert Allot […], published 1631, OCLC 81096167, (please specify the page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- we'll bring Wax to the retrieve
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Translations
retrieval — see retrieval
return of a difficult ball
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