address

[ noun uh-dres, ad-res; verb uh-dres ]
See synonyms for: addressaddressedaddressesaddressing on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a speech or written statement, usually formal, directed to a particular group of persons: the president's address on the state of the economy.

  2. a direction as to the intended recipient, written on or attached to a piece of mail.

  1. the place or the name of the place where a person, organization, or the like is located or may be reached: What is your address when you're in Des Moines?

  2. manner of speaking to persons; personal bearing in conversation.

  3. skillful and expeditious management; ready skill; dispatch: to handle a matter with address.

  4. Computers.

    • a label, as an integer, symbol, or other set of characters, designating a location, register, etc., where information is stored in computer memory.

    • a set of characters designating an email account: Her email address ends in “.net,” not “.com.”

    • a set of characters designating the location of a website or a particular computer or other device on a network: He visits that website so often that its complete address comes up whenever he types its first letter into the address bar.: See also URL

  5. Government. a request to the executive by the legislature to remove a judge for unfitness.

  6. Usually addresses. attentions paid by a suitor or lover; courtship.

  7. Usually Address. the reply to the king's speech in the English Parliament.

  8. Obsolete. preparation.

verb (used with object),ad·dressed, ad·dress·ing.
  1. to direct a speech or written statement to: to address an assembly.

  2. to use a specified form or title in speaking or writing to: Address the president as “Mr. President.”

  1. to direct to the attention: He addressed his remarks to the lawyers in the audience.

  2. to apply in speech (used reflexively, usually followed by to): He addressed himself to the leader.

  3. to deal with or discuss: to address the issues.

  4. to put the directions for delivery on: to address a letter.

  5. Commerce. to consign or entrust to the care of another, as agent or factor.

  6. to direct the energy or efforts of (usually followed by to): He addressed himself to the task.

  7. Computers. to direct (data) to a specified memory location in a computer.

  8. Golf. to take a stance and place the head of the club behind (the ball) preparatory to hitting it.

  9. Obsolete. to woo; court.

  10. Archaic. to give direction to; aim.

  11. Obsolete. to prepare.

verb (used without object),ad·dressed or ad·drest, ad·dress·ing.Obsolete.
  1. to make an appeal.

  2. to make preparations.

Origin of address

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English adressen “to adorn,” from Middle French adresser; see a-5, dress

synonym study For address

1. See speech.

Other words for address

Other words from address

  • ad·dress·er, ad·dres·sor, noun
  • half-ad·dressed, adjective
  • pre·ad·dress, noun, verb (used with object)
  • re·ad·dress, verb (used with object), re·ad·dressed, re·ad·dress·ing.
  • un·ad·dressed, adjective
  • well-ad·dressed, adjective

Words Nearby address

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use address in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for address

address

/ (əˈdrɛs) /


noun
  1. the conventional form by which the location of a building is described

  2. the written form of this, as on a letter or parcel, preceded by the name of the person or organization for whom it is intended

  1. the place at which someone lives

  2. a speech or written communication, esp one of a formal nature

  3. skilfulness or tact

  4. archaic manner or style of speaking or conversation

  5. computing a number giving the location of a piece of stored information: See also direct access

  6. British government a statement of the opinions or wishes of either or both Houses of Parliament that is sent to the sovereign

  7. the alignment or position of a part, component, etc, that permits correct assembly or fitting

  8. (usually plural) expressions of affection made by a man in courting a woman

verb-dresses, -dressing or -dressed or obsolete, or poetic -drest (tr)
  1. to mark (a letter, parcel, etc) with an address

  2. to speak to, refer to in speaking, or deliver a speech to

  1. (used reflexively; foll by to)

    • to speak or write to: he addressed himself to the chairman

    • to apply oneself to: he addressed himself to the task

  2. to direct (a message, warning, etc) to the attention of

  3. to consign or entrust (a ship or a ship's cargo) to a factor, merchant, etc

  4. to adopt a position facing (the ball in golf, a partner in a dance, the target in archery, etc)

  5. to treat of; deal with: chapter 10 addresses the problem of transitivity

  6. an archaic word for woo

Origin of address

1
C14: (in the sense: to make right, adorn) and c15 (in the modern sense: to direct words): via Old French from Vulgar Latin addrictiāre (unattested) to make straight, direct oneself towards, from Latin ad- to + dīrectus direct

Derived forms of address

  • addresser or addressor, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012