receive
Americanverb (used with object)
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to take into one's possession (something offered or delivered).
to receive many gifts.
- Antonyms:
- give
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to have (something) bestowed, conferred, etc..
to receive an honorary degree.
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to have delivered or brought to one.
to receive a letter.
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to get or be informed of.
to receive instructions;
to receive news.
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to be burdened with; sustain.
to receive a heavy load.
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to hold, bear, or contain.
The nut receives a bolt and a washer.
The plaster receives the impression of the mold.
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to take into the mind; apprehend mentally.
to receive an idea.
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to accept from another by hearing or listening.
A priest received his confession.
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to meet with; experience.
to receive attention.
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to suffer the injury of.
He received a terrific blow on the forehead.
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to be at home to (visitors).
They received their neighbors on Sunday.
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to greet or welcome (guests, visitors, etc.) upon arriving.
They received us at the front door.
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to admit (a person) to a place.
The butler received him and asked him to wait in the drawing room.
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to admit into an organization, membership, etc..
to receive someone into the group.
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to accept as authoritative, valid, true, or approved.
a principle universally received.
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to react to in the manner specified.
to receive a proposal with contempt;
She received the job offer with joy.
verb (used without object)
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to receive something.
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to receive visitors or guests.
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Radio. to convert incoming electromagnetic waves into the original signal.
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to receive the Eucharist.
He receives every Sunday.
verb
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to take (something offered) into one's hand or possession
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to have (an honour, blessing, etc) bestowed
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to accept delivery or transmission of (a letter, telephone call, etc)
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to be informed of (news or information)
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to hear and consent to or acknowledge (an oath, confession, etc)
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(of a vessel or container) to take or hold (a substance, commodity, or certain amount)
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to support or sustain (the weight of something); bear
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to apprehend or perceive (ideas, etc)
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to experience, undergo, or meet with
to receive a crack on the skull
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(also intr) to be at home to (visitors)
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to greet or welcome (visitors or guests), esp in formal style
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to admit (a person) to a place, society, condition, etc
he was received into the priesthood
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to accept or acknowledge (a precept or principle) as true or valid
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to convert (incoming radio signals) into sounds, pictures, etc, by means of a receiver
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(also intr) tennis to play at the other end from the server; be required to return (service)
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(also intr) to partake of (the Christian Eucharist)
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(intr) to buy and sell stolen goods
Usage
Spelling tips for receive The word receive is hard to spell for two reasons. First, it can be hard to remember if the [ s] sound is spelled with a c or an s. Second, the order of the middle vowels can be tricky. Is it ei or ie? How to spell receive: When you receive something you want to C (see) it. This reminds you that it is spelled with a c, not an s. To remember the order of the vowels, keep in mind the classic mnemonic device: I before E except after C. Since receive is spelled with a C, the E goes before the I.
Other Word Forms
- interreceive verb (used with object)
- nonreceiving adjective
- prereceive verb (used with object)
- unreceiving adjective
Etymology
Origin of receive
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English receven, from Old North French receivre, from Latin recipere, equivalent to re- re- + -cipere, combining form of capere “to take”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“These violations are not about withholding wages or failing to pay partners, but as part of the agreement, some current and former partners will receive payouts. This compensation is about compliance, not unpaid wages.”
He received a doctorate in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
From MarketWatch
He received a doctorate in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
From MarketWatch
Research published in medical journals indicates that myocarditis after a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is rare, although it is more likely to occur in boys within the first week of receiving the second dose.
From MarketWatch
Express that you’re coming from a place of care, not judgment, and your feedback will be better received.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
