come and retrieve

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "come and retrieve" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when instructing someone to come to a location to collect or pick up something. Example: "Please come and retrieve your belongings from the lost and found before the end of the day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

One man telephoned to say that his 50p piece was stuck in a washing machine at his local launderette and that he wanted the police to come and retrieve the coin for him.

Independent

No one wants to come and retrieve them afterwards, so most of these things are sent away to charity after three months.

Vice

Some times somebody will playfully take your stuff, so you will have to come and retrieve, and they usually try to lure you into conversation.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Friendly forces came and retrieved their bodies, and we made it back to everyone in the platoon congratulating us.

Vice

Her distraught family came and retrieved her back to their home in San Jose, California, but that family a few years later ended up in the news.

Huffington Post

The weather was too rough, so they decided to come back and retrieve the car the next day.

The New York Times

When I asked him if someone could come back and retrieve a specific set of cremated remains, he told me, "At this point, it would be very, very, very difficult.

Vice

If you get something larger, like shoes, you might be able to hide it in your yard before you come in and retrieve it at night (leaving that stuff with a friend would be even better).

WikiHow

"But Lon came out and retrieved me from Feldspar that time I had a flat".

The New Yorker

Then a voice in the other room said "Not yet, he's not in there yet", louder than it probably meant to, and a woman came in and retrieved the child.Charlie smiled.

The Economist

Companies can use the app to order a food pickup after an event, for instance, and Copia will come retrieve the fare and drop it off at a local pantry, shelter or soup kitchen.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "come and retrieve", ensure the context clearly indicates where the person or object is to be retrieved from. Be specific about the location to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "come and retrieve" in overly formal or professional writing; opt for more sophisticated alternatives like "recover" or "reclaim" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "come and retrieve" functions as a phrasal verb indicating the action of going to a place to take someone or something back. Ludwig provides several examples demonstrating its common usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "come and retrieve" is a grammatically correct phrasal verb used to instruct someone to go back and collect someone or something. While Ludwig indicates that its usage is valid, it's generally considered neutral to informal and may not be suitable for highly formal or academic contexts. Alternatives such as "recover" or "reclaim" might be more appropriate in such settings. Examples from Ludwig highlight its use in news and general contexts, making it a versatile phrase for everyday communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

return to collect

Emphasizes the action of going back to gather something previously left.

come back for

Highlights the act of returning specifically for someone or something.

go back and get

Focuses on the physical action of obtaining something from a previous location.

reclaim possession of

Stresses the recovery of ownership of an item.

recover and take back

Implies regaining something lost or misplaced.

fetch from

Suggests a quick trip to get something.

pick up afterwards

Focuses on the timing of collecting something after an event.

collect from storage

Highlights retrieval from a place of storage.

ship and return

Suggests something is being delivered somewhere and later sent back to its source.

come and fetch

A slightly more archaic, but similar, instruction to collect something.

FAQs

What does "come and retrieve" mean?

The phrase "come and retrieve" means to travel to a specific place to collect or take back someone or something.

Are there any synonyms for "come and retrieve"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "come and collect", "go back and get", or "reclaim" depending on the context.

How formal is the phrase "come and retrieve"?

The phrase "come and retrieve" is generally considered informal to neutral. In more formal contexts, consider using alternatives like "recover" or "reclaim possession of".

Can you use "come and retrieve" in academic writing?

While grammatically correct, "come and retrieve" might be too informal for academic writing. Opt for more formal alternatives like "recover", "collect", or "retrieve" alone.