door-to-door

[dawr-tuh-dawr, dohr-tuh-dohr]

adjective

1. calling, selling, canvassing, etc., at each house or apartment in an area, town, or the like.

   a door-to-door poll.

2. sent direct from the point of pickup to the point of delivery, as a shipment or order of merchandise.

3. covering the complete route of a door-to-door shipment, delivery, etc..

   door-to-door carrying charges; door-to-door insurance.

adverb

1. in a door-to-door manner.

door to door

adjective

1. (of selling, canvassing, etc) from one house to the next

2. (of journeys, deliveries, etc) direct

Word History and Origins

Origin of door to door¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Idioms and Phrases

Calling at each house, apartment, store, etc. in an area, in order to deliver, sell, or ask for something. For example, We were asked to go door to door to collect enough signatures . [c. 1900]

Sent from a place of origin or pickup to a place of delivery. For example, They quoted me a price for door to door, as well as a lower one if I would pick up the goods myself . This usage is nearly always applied to a shipment of merchandise.

Example Sentences

After the initial investigation the BBC went back to one of the hotels and heard staff were now going door-to-door searching for makeshift cooking equipment.

From BBC

"Rural elderly residents usually receive information through door-to-door communication. It's unclear how the local authorities had informed them and managed the situation," said Awa.

From BBC

Although floodwaters have receded in the city, thick mud and debris remain, and search teams continue to go door-to-door in hopes of locating the missing.

From BBC

He said searches of the area will continue alongside door-to-door inquiries.

From BBC

Rescuers had to go door-to-door to relocate villagers and their livestock by boats - but this method also comes with risks of its own, as the small boats are forced to contend with strong currents.

From BBC