Re*cruit" , n.
1. A supply
of anything wasted or exhausted; a reënforcement.
The state is
to have recruits to its strength, and remedies to its distempers.
Burke. 2. Specifically, a man enlisted for service in the army; a newly enlisted soldier.
Re*cruit" , v. i. 1. To
gain new supplies of anything wasted; to gain health, flesh, spirits, or the like; to recuperate; as, lean cattle recruit in fresh pastures.
2. To gain new supplies of men for military or other service; to raise or enlist new soldiers; to enlist troops.
Re*cruit" (r?*kr?t"),
v. t. [imp. & p. p. Recruited; p. pr. & vb. n.
Recruiting.]
[F. recruter, corrupted
(under influence of recrue recruiting, recruit, from
recroî/tre, p. p.
recrû, to grow again) from an older recluter, properly, to patch, to mend (a garment); pref. re- + OF. clut piece, piece of cloth; cf. Icel. klūtr kerchief, E. clout.] 1. To repair by
fresh supplies, as anything wasted; to remedy lack or deficiency in; as, food
recruits the flesh; fresh air and
exercise recruit
the spirits.
Her cheeks glow the brighter, recruiting their color.
Glanvill. 2. Hence, to restore the wasted vigor of; to renew in strength or health; to reinvigorate.
3.
To supply with new men,
as an army;
to fill up or make up by enlistment; as, he recruited two regiments; the army was recruited for a campaign; also, to muster; to
enlist; as, he recruited fifty men. M. Arnold.
Hear it pronounced