\Re*claim"\, v. t.
To claim back; to demand the return of as a right; to attempt
to recover possession of.
      A tract of land [Holland] snatched from an element
      perpetually reclaiming its prior occupancy. --W. Coxe.

\Re*claim"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Reclaimed}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Reclaiming}.] [F. r['e]clamer, L. reclamare,
reclamatum, to cry out against; pref. re- re- + clamare to
call or cry aloud. See {Claim}.]
1. To call back, as a hawk to the wrist in falconry, by a
   certain customary call. --Chaucer.
2. To call back from flight or disorderly action; to call to,
   for the purpose of subduing or quieting.
         The headstrong horses hurried Octavius . . . along,
         and were deaf to his reclaiming them. --Dryden.
3. To reduce from a wild to a tamed state; to bring under
   discipline; -- said especially of birds trained for the
   chase, but also of other animals. ``An eagle well
   reclaimed.'' --Dryden.
4. Hence: To reduce to a desired state by discipline, labor,
   cultivation, or the like; to rescue from being wild,
   desert, waste, submerged, or the like; as, to reclaim wild
   land, overflowed land, etc.
5. To call back to rectitude from moral wandering or
   transgression; to draw back to correct deportment or
   course of life; to reform.
         It is the intention of Providence, in all the
         various expressions of his goodness, to reclaim
         mankind.                              --Rogers.
6. To correct; to reform; -- said of things. [Obs.]
         Your error, in time reclaimed, will be venial. --Sir
                                               E. Hoby.
7. To exclaim against; to gainsay. [Obs.] --Fuller.
Syn: To reform; recover; restore; amend; correct.

\Re*claim"\, v. i.
1. To cry out in opposition or contradiction; to exclaim
   against anything; to contradict; to take exceptions.
         Scripture reclaims, and the whole Catholic church
         reclaims, and Christian ears would not hear it.
                                               --Waterland.
         At a later period Grote reclaimed strongly against
         Mill's setting Whately above Hamilton. --Bain.
2. To bring anyone back from evil courses; to reform.
         They, hardened more by what might most reclaim,
         Grieving to see his glory . . . took envy. --Milton.
3. To draw back; to give way. [R. & Obs.] --Spenser.

\Re*claim"\, n.
The act of reclaiming, or the state of being reclaimed;
reclamation; recovery. [Obs.]