1. [v]  recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection; "I can't remember saying any such thing"; "I can't think what her last name was"; "can you remember her phone number?"; "Do you remember that he once loved you?"; "call up memories"
2. [v]  of trained dogs
3. [v]  get or find back; recover the use of; "She regained control of herself"; "She found her voice and replied quickly"

1. \Re*trieve"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Retrieved}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Retrieving}.] [OE. retreven, OF. retrover to find
   again, recover (il retroevee finds again), F. retrouver;
   pref. re- re- + OF. trover to find, F. trouver. See
   {Trover}.]
   1. To find again; to recover; to regain; to restore from loss
      or injury; as, to retrieve one's character; to retrieve
      independence.
            With late repentance now they would retrieve The
            bodies they forsook, and wish to live. --Dryden
   2. To recall; to bring back.
            To retrieve them from their cold, trivial conceits.
                                                  --Berkeley.
   3. To remedy the evil consequence of, to repair, as a loss or
      damadge.
            Accept my sorrow, and retrieve my fall. --Prior.
            There is much to be done . . . and much to be
            retrieved.                            --Burke.
   Syn: To recover; regain; recruit; repair; restore.
   

2. \Re*trieve"\, v. i. (Sport.)
   To discover and bring in game that has been killed or
   wounded; as, a dog naturally inclined to retrieve. --Walsh.
   

3. \Re*trieve"\, n.
   1. A seeking again; a discovery. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
   2. The recovery of game once sprung; -- an old sporting term.
      [Obs.] --Nares.
   

A query language inspired JPLDIS which led to Vulcan and then to dBASE II, developed by Tymshare Corp in the 1960s.