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Entry 12 senses · 4 variants Webster, 1913

Reclaim

/(rē*klām")/ · Re·claim · IPA /ɹɪˈkleɪm/
01 v. t. To claim back; to demand the return of as a right; to attempt to recover possession of.
  1. 1.
    To claim back; to demand the return of as a right; to attempt to recover possession of.
    “A tract of land [Holland] snatched from an element perpetually reclaiming its prior occupancy.” — W. Coxe.
02 v. t. To call back, as a hawk to the wrist in falconry, by a certain customary call.
imp. & p. p. Reclaimed; p. pr. & vb. n. Reclaiming
  1. 1.
    To call back, as a hawk to the wrist in falconry, by a certain customary call.
  2. 2.
    To call back from flight or disorderly action; to call to, for the purpose of subduing or quieting.
    “The headstrong horses hurried Octavius . . . along, and were deaf to his reclaiming them.” — Dryden.
  3. 3.
    To reduce from a wild to a tamed state; to bring under discipline; -- said especially of birds trained for the chase, but also of other animals.
  4. 4.
    Hence: To reduce to a desired state by discipline, labor, cultivation, or the like; to rescue from being wild, desert, waste, submerged, or the like; as, to reclaim wild land, overflowed land, etc.
  5. 5.
    To call back to rectitude from moral wandering or transgression; to draw back to correct deportment or course of life; to reform.
    “It is the intention of Providence, in all the various expressions of his goodness, to reclaim mankind.” — Rogers.
  6. 6.
    To correct; to reform; -- said of things.[Obs.]
    “Your error, in time reclaimed, will be venial.” — Sir E. Hoby.
  7. 7.
    To exclaim against; to gainsay.[Obs.]
Syn. To reform; recover; restore; amend; correct.
03 v. i. To cry out in opposition or contradiction; to exclaim against anything; to contradict; to take exceptions.
  1. 1.
    To cry out in opposition or contradiction; to exclaim against anything; to contradict; to take exceptions.
    “Scripture reclaims, and the whole Catholic church reclaims, and Christian ears would not hear it.” — Waterland.
    “At a later period Grote reclaimed strongly against Mill's setting Whately above Hamilton.” — Bain.
  2. 2.
    To bring anyone back from evil courses; to reform.
    “They, hardened more by what might most reclaim, Grieving to see his glory, . . . took envy.” — Milton.
  3. 3.
    To draw back; to give way.[R. & Obs.]
04 n. The act of reclaiming, or the state of being reclaimed; reclamation; recovery.
  1. 1.
    The act of reclaiming, or the state of being reclaimed; reclamation; recovery.[Obs.]