I. rə̇ˈkȯl, rēˈ- transitive verb
Etymology: re- + call
1.
a. : to call back : summon or cause to return
was recalled from abroad to report to the government
was recalled to active service
other automotive divisions will recall their hourly workers — Sacramento (Calif.) Bee
is thought that his soul has quitted his body and must be recalled — J.G.Frazer
b. : to call or bring back the thought or memory of
the sight of the streets thronged with buyers … recall ed to me the purpose of my journey — James Joyce
knowledge of an event or fact which the sign recalls — Edward Clodd
c. : to remind one of : exhibit a resemblance to
look with suspicion upon anything that might savor of economic exploitation or recall old imperialist ideas — Arthur Rucker
the rectangular, four-story mass of unusually high proportions recalls numerous courthouse designs of the period — American Guide Series: New York
d. : recollect
seem always to recall him in his brown velvet smock — Osbert Sitwell
recalling the emotions and events and spectacles which have come to a man with the years — P.E.More
2. : to annul by taking back
past sentence may not be recalled — Shakespeare
3. : to cause to exist again : restore
beauty … whose season was, and cannot be recalled — William Wordsworth
4. : to bring back to consciousness or awareness : revive
trying to recall her stunned senses — George Meredith
stared and recalled himself and was ashamed — Pearl Buck
Synonyms: see remember , revoke
II. ˈrēˌkȯl, rə̇ˈk-, rēˈk- noun
1.
a. : the act or an instance of calling back : a summons to return from or to a position, situation, or place
the recall of an ambassador from his post
the recall of a reserve officer to active duty
announced the recall of 500 workers after a 2-week layoff
b.
(1) : a signal (as a bugle call) summoning soldiers back (as to ranks or camp) or indicating the end of a drill or work period
(2) : a signal calling a boat back to a ship
c. : the right or procedure by which a legislative, judicial, or executive official may be removed from office before the end of his term by a vote of the people to be taken on the filing of a petition signed by a required number (as 25 percent) of qualified voters
nearly one third of the states allow the recall to be used by all cities — J.E.Pate
recall election
2. : remembrance of what has been previously learned or experienced : reproduction , revival — compare recognition
mere recall of past memories without integrating them in terms of current reality is ineffective — M.H.Erickson
could remember strange streets, bays, oceans, harbors, countrysides with almost total visual recall — Henry Wallace
3. : the act of revoking or the possibility of being revoked
the war is completed — the price is paid — the title is settled beyond recall — Walt Whitman
this is a matter past recall — Robert Browning
III. noun
1. : a public call by a manufacturer for the return of a product that may be defective or contaminated
2. : the ability (as of an information retrieval system) to retrieve stored material