Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To get back; recover or regain.
  • intransitive verb To gain an amount equal to (an outlay or investment).
  • intransitive verb To restore; replenish.
  • intransitive verb To reimburse (someone) for a loss or expenditure.
  • intransitive verb Law To reduce (the amount of a monetary claim made by a party in a legal action) because of a failure of that party to perform an obligation under the contract or law related to the claim.
  • intransitive verb To recover from loss or exhaustion; recuperate.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In law, the keeping back of something which is due; a deduction; recoupment; discount.
  • In law, to keep back as a set-off or discount; diminish by keeping back a part: as, to recoup from a servant's wages the damages caused by his negligence; to recoup from the price of goods sold a claim for breach of warranty as to quality.
  • To reimburse or indemnify for a loss or damage by a corresponding advantage: commonly used reflexively.
  • To return or bring in an amount equal to.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb (Law) To keep back rightfully (a part), as if by cutting off, so as to diminish a sum due; to take off (a part) from damages; to deduct.
  • transitive verb To get an equivalent or compensation for.
  • transitive verb To reimburse; to indemnify; -- often used reflexively and in the passive.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To make back, as an investment.
  • verb To recover from an error.
  • verb law To keep back rightfully (a part), as if by cutting off, so as to diminish a sum due; to take off (a part) from damages; to deduct.
  • verb transitive To reimburse; to indemnify; often used reflexively and in the passive.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb retain and refrain from disbursing; of payments
  • verb reimburse or compensate (someone), as for a loss
  • verb regain or make up for

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English recoupen, to cut short, from Old French recouper, to cut back : re-, re- + couper, to cut (from coup, blow; see coup).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

French recouper

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Examples

  • While the service has been around for years, EMI hopes a widespread push in North America and Europe will help the label recoup low album sales.

    Shelly Palmer: Walmart to sell $300 H-P Laptop: MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer November 5, 2009 2009

  • The only cost to recoup is what it takes to put it into the various eformats.

    Complete Piracy at Last « L.E. Modesitt, Jr. – The Official Website 2010

  • Moreover, many insurance companies (including mine) refuse to pay the $30,000 cost, reasoning that any economic benefit they would recoup is years down the road.

    Beating Obesity 2010

  • Moreover, many insurance companies (including mine) refuse to pay the $30,000 cost, reasoning that any economic benefit they would recoup is years down the road.

    Beating Obesity 2010

  • I need a break to recoup from the work that generated after the long holidays.

    I'm simply exhausted Anjali 2007

  • I need a break to recoup from the work that generated after the long holidays.

    Archive 2007-01-01 Anjali 2007

  • And then he finds this model, trying to kind of recoup his self-esteem.

    CNN Transcript Aug 20, 2009 2009

  • It is true that the military does attempt to "recoup" bonuses, but, according to the Department of Defense, "Department policy prohibits recoupment when it would be contrary to equity and good conscience, or would be contrary to the nation's interests," circumstances that include, "an inability to complete a service agreement because of illness, injury, disability, or other impairment that did not clearly result from misconduct."

    Stacking the Deck 2008

  • If we have to wait for the studios to "recoup" first we will never see one stinking penny of residuals, period.

    First Salvo In Entertainment Industry/WGA Negotiations Steve Hulett 2007

  • City bosses on Tuesday took the first step in their initiative to "recoup" the outstanding arrears.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2003

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