/ rɪˈtriːv; NAmE / verb [ vn ]
1.
retrieve sth (from sb/sth) ( formal ) to bring or get sth back, especially from a place where it should not be
SYN recover :
She bent to retrieve her comb from the floor.
The police have managed to retrieve some of the stolen money.
2.
( computing ) to find and get back data or information that has been stored in the memory of a computer :
to retrieve information from the database
The program allows you to retrieve items quickly by searching under a keyword.
3.
to make a bad situation better; to get back sth that was lost :
You can only retrieve the situation by apologizing.
► re·triev·able / rɪˈtriːvəbl; NAmE / adjective
OPP irretrievable
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense find lost game ): from Old French retroeve- , stressed stem of retrover find again.