recovery

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The act, process, duration, or an instance of recovering.
2. n. A return to a normal condition.
3. n. Something gained or restored in recovering.
4. n. The act of obtaining usable substances from unusable sources.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act or power of recovering, regaining, retaking, conquering again, or obtaining renewed possession: as, to offer a reward for the recovery of stolen goods.
2. n. Restoration from a bad to a good condition; especially, restoration from sickness, faintness, or the like; also, restoration from low condition or misfortune.
3. n. Attainment; reaching.
4. n. In law, the obtaining of right to something by a verdict or judgment of court from an opposing party in a suit: as, the recovery of debt, damages, and costs by a plaintiff; the recovery of costs by a defendant; the recovery of land in ejectment. Compare fine, n., 3.
5. n. In fencing, the return of the fencer to his original position “on guard” after extending himself in the lunge (which see). It is done by raising the left hand sharply, withdrawing the right foot from its place in extension, and flexing the right elbow more or less till the foil or sword is in the proper position to await the opponent's riposte (which see).

Wiktionary

1. n. The act or process of regaining or repossession of something lost.
2. n. A return to normal health.
3. n. A return to former status.
4. n. Renewed growth after a slump (economy).

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of recovering, regaining, or retaking possession.
2. n. Restoration from sickness, weakness, faintness, or the like; restoration from a condition of mistortune, of fright, etc.
3. n. (Law) The obtaining in a suit at law of a right to something by a verdict and judgment of court.
4. n. obsolete The getting, or gaining, of something not previously had.
5. n. In rowing, the act of regaining the proper position for making a new stroke.
6. n. Act of regaining the natural position after curtseying.
7. n. (Fencing, Sparring, etc.) Act of regaining the position of guard after making an attack.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the act of regaining or saving something lost (or in danger of becoming lost)
2. n. return to an original state
3. n. gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury