cash on delivery
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does cash on delivery mean? Cash on delivery refers to an arrangement in which payment for a purchase is made directly by the purchaser to the person who delivers the item. It is commonly abbreviated as C. O. D., which can also stand for collect on delivery. Cash on delivery and C. O. D. don’t necessarily always mean that actual cash (paper money) is required (though it often used to mean this). Sometimes, a check, money order, or credit card payment will be accepted for a cash on delivery order. Cash on delivery can be used as an adverb, as in We’re shipping it cash on delivery; as an adjective, as in Our cash on delivery orders are behind schedule; and in other variations. The abbreviation C. O. D. can be used as a noun, as in Sorry, we don’t accept C. O. D.s. Example: Most of our shipments are cash on delivery, and we have a high percentage of successful payments.
Etymology
Origin of cash on delivery
First recorded in 1850–55
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.
The snow was not, and material support to sustain the troops could only be had for cash on delivery.
From Salon ● Dec. 21, 2021
Ola and other Indian cab services accept cash for rides, while e-commerce giant Amazon introduced a cash on delivery option when it launched in India.
From Reuters ● May 11, 2015
Vendors of crucial supplies like concrete poles have begun demanding cash on delivery from the struggling cooperative.
From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2014
Flipkart solved these obstacles by doing the deliveries itself, letting customers inspect goods before buying, and accepting cash on delivery.
From Forbes ● Jun. 13, 2012
"Now then, my friends," said Bart briskly, as he saw to it that everything was in order for the sale, "the motto for the hour is quick action and cash on delivery!"
From Bart Stirling's Road to Success Or, The Young Express Agent by Chapman, Allen
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.
