delivery

[dih-liv-uh-ree]

noun

plural

deliveries 

1. the carrying and turning over of letters, goods, etc., to a designated recipient or recipients.

2. a giving up or handing over; surrender.

3. the utterance or enunciation of words.

4. vocal and bodily behavior during the presentation of a speech.

   a speaker's fine delivery.

5. the act or manner of giving or sending forth.

   the pitcher's fine delivery of the ball.

6. the state of being delivered of or giving birth to a child; parturition.

7. something delivered.

   The delivery is late today.

8. Commerce.,  a shipment of goods from the seller to the buyer.

9. Law.,  a formal act performed to make a transfer of property legally effective.

   a delivery of deed.

10. Also called delivery end. Printing.,  the part of a printing press where the paper emerges in printed form.

11. Archaic.,  release or rescue; liberation; deliverance.

delivery

/ dɪˈlɪvərɪ /

noun

1. 1. the act of delivering or distributing goods, mail, etc

   2. something that is delivered

   3. ( as modifier )

      a delivery service

2. the act of giving birth to a child

   she had an easy delivery

3. manner or style of utterance, esp in public speaking or recitation

   the chairman had a clear delivery

4. the act of giving or transferring or the state of being given or transferred

5. the act of rescuing or state of being rescued; liberation

6. sport

   1. the act or manner of bowling or throwing a ball

   2. the ball so delivered

      a fast delivery

7. an actual or symbolic handing over of property, a deed, etc

8. the discharge rate of a compressor or pump

9. (in South Africa) the supply of basic services to communities deprived under apartheid

Other Word Forms

• misdelivery noun
• nondelivery noun
• postdelivery adjective
• predelivery noun
• redelivery noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of delivery¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English delyvere, delyvery, from Anglo-French delivrée, noun use of feminine past participle of delivrer “to deliver,” with suffix assimilated to -ery; deliver

Example Sentences

In August, GM also announced a supply agreement with Noveon, a Texas producer of magnets, with deliveries beginning in July.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Gannon-Doak puts himself in good positions but too often wastes his own good work with hurried deliveries that are easily dealt with.

Read more on BBC

A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from there the right-hander was on her way.

Read more on BBC

Today, fierce disputes between Moscow and Washington about limiting weapons and delivery systems have become exponentially more difficult with Beijing’s rise as a near-peer competitor.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Sitting in his Oklahoma City hotel room that night, Sasaki pulled up old video of his high school days and studied a delivery that, even then, enthralled evaluators around the sport.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• consignment 
• distribution 
• shipment 
• transmission