Receive
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ɹɪˈsiËv/
- Rhymes: -iËv
- Hyphenation: re + ceive
Alternative forms
- receave obsolete
Origin
From Middle English receiven, from Old French receivre, from Latin recipere, past participle receptus ("to take back, get back, regain, recover, take to oneself, admit, accept, receive, take in, assume, allow, etc."), from re- ("back") + capio ("to take"); see capacious. Compare conceive, deceive, perceive. Replaced native Middle English terms in -fon/-fangen (eg. afon, anfon, afangen, underfangen, etc. "to receive" from Old English -fÅn), native Middle English thiggen ("to receive") (from Old English þicgan), and non-native Middle English aquilen, enquilen ("to receive") (from Old French aquillir, encueillir).
Full definition of receive
Verb
- To take, as something that is offered, given, committed, sent, paid, etc.; to accept; to be given something.
- William ShakespeareOur hearts receive your warnings.
- John LockeThe idea of solidity we receive by our touch.
- Bible, 1 Kings viii. 64The brazen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings.
- 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 19, Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets.
- 2013-05-25, No hiding place, In America alone, people spent $170 billion on “direct marketingâ€â€”junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result.
- She received many presents for her birthday.
- To take possession of.
- To act as a host for guests; to give admittance to; to permit to enter, as into one's house, presence, company, etc.
- Bible, Acts xxviii. 2They kindled a fire, and received us every one.
- to receive a lodger, visitor, ambassador, messenger, etc.
- To suffer from (an injury).I received a bloody nose from the collision.
- To allow (a custom, tradition, etc.); to give credence or acceptance to.
- Bible, Mark vii. 4Many other things there be which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots.
- (telecommunications) To detect a signal from a transmitter.
- (sports) To be in a position to take possession, or hit back the ball.
- (tennis, badminton, squash) To be in a position to hit back a service.
- (American football) To be in a position to catch a forward pass.
- (transitive, intransitive) To accept into the mind; to understand.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, I.57:I cannot receive that manner, whereby we establish the continuance of our life.