recruit Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a recently enlisted soldier
    military recruit.
  2. noun any new member or supporter (as in the armed forces)
    enlistee.
  3. verb register formally as a participant or member
    enroll; enter; enrol; inscribe.
    • The party recruited many new members
  4. verb seek to employ
    • The lab director recruited an able crew of assistants
  5. verb cause to assemble or enlist in the military
    levy; raise.
    • raise an army
    • recruit new soldiers

WordNet

Re*cruit" transitive verb
Etymology
F. recruter, corrupted (under influence of recrue recruiting, recruit, from recrotre, p.p. recr, to grow again) from an older recluter, properly, to patch, to mend (a garment); pref. re- + OF. clut piece, piece of cloth; cf. Icel. klt kerchief, E. clout.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Recruited; present participle & verbal noun Recruiting
Definitions
  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.
Re*cruit" intransitive verb
Definitions
  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" noun
Definitions
  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.

Webster 1913