regains

1. 1
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of regain.

   After a few deep breaths, he regains his composure before the interview.

   The patient gradually regains movement in her fingers during therapy.

   Note

   A singular subject such as he, she, it or the patient calls for the -s. With I, you, we or they, the verb stays regain. Because regain is transitive, this form needs an object: someone regains composure, ground or movement, never simply "regains." Without one, the sentence feels unfinished, which is the quickest way to tell it from the plural noun spelled the same way.

2. 2
   noun

   Plural of regain.

   The technician compared the moisture regains of cotton, wool, and nylon under identical conditions.

   Higher regains in natural fibers can affect how garments feel in humid weather.

   Note

   Where the noun is counted, it is usually the weaver's measure: the width a woven cloth gains when its fibers swell, which decides the reed to use. Plurals set those figures side by side, one cloth or fiber against another. The spelling also belongs to the present-tense verb. A word like the or their in front marks the noun, and a singular subject in front marks the verb.

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