verb
recover
rih-KUV-er/rɪˈkʌvər/
To regain a condition or possession that was lost.
She recovers from the flu with plenty of rest.
Etymology
Recuperare meant getting something back and also came to mean reviving or convalescing. Recover preserves both applications: regaining something lost and returning to health or strength.
In context
Older siblings actively pitch in as well, taking turns babysitting and carrying the young, which gives the mother a chance to forage and recover her strength
More examples
- The police recover his stolen bicycle.
- I recovered the missing file from a backup.
- He quickly recovers his balance after slipping.
Forms
recover · recovers · recovered · recovering
recovery noun — Regaining health or getting something lost back.
Similar words
- regain
- Emphasizes getting something back, rather than healing from illness.
- recuperate
- Refers specifically to regaining health or strength after illness.
- retrieve
- Means finding and bringing back something lost or misplaced.