reclaim

/rɪˈkleɪm/ verb [T]

Definition

› to get back something that has been taken away from you, or money that you have already paid: reclaim tax/expenses/a deposit You can reclaim the import tax on such goods. It was seen as an attempt by the former chairman to reclaim power.

› ENVIRONMENT to make land, such as desert or areas covered by water, suitable for farming or building on: The law requires mining companies to reclaim and replant the land.

› ENVIRONMENT to get useful materials from waste: There are new techniques for reclaiming water from human waste.

→ Compare recycle

(Definition of reclaim verb from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)