delivery

[ dih-liv-uh-ree ]

noun

, plural de·liv·er·ies.

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. Printing. Also called delivery end. 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 Words From

• mis·de·liv·er·y noun plural misdeliveries
• non·de·liv·er·y noun plural nondeliveries
• post·de·liv·er·y adjective
• pre·de·liv·er·y noun plural predeliveries
• re·de·liv·er·y noun plural redeliveries

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

To combat the declines in their traditional businesses, Uber continued its push into consumer delivery, while Lyft announced a push into business-to-business logistics.

From TechCrunch

You pick anything you want — you don’t have to cook it, order it, wait two hours, or pay a delivery fee — you just take a plate and step up.

From Washington Post

Others, such as meal kits and wine delivery, have gotten more traction than usual.

From Digiday

It makes sense as e-commerce and on demand delivery isn’t a flash in the pan fad, per Cavaluzzo.

From Digiday

Grocery delivery services charge a fee — usually around $10 per $100 spent, on average.

From Washington Post

Should capability delivery experience additional changes, this estimate will be revised appropriately.

From The Daily Beast

It also helps pilots orientate themselves during weapons delivery passes.

From The Daily Beast

And this week it was Mister Ham, General Delivery, United States.

From The Daily Beast

Fewer women are shackled during labor and delivery (PDF), though this still occurs.

From The Daily Beast

A powdered form of the measles vaccine could make delivery safer and easier around the world.

From The Daily Beast

A delivery of a policy therefore, to an insurance broker, would be a delivery to his principal.

From Project Gutenberg

If the offeree sent a telegram, then he would be obliged to prove the delivery of the dispatch.

From Project Gutenberg

There must be an actual delivery by him, and though a deed may be completed in every other respect, it is not an effective deed.

From Project Gutenberg

Suppose a deed were mailed to the grantee, or handed to another person to deliver to the grantee, this would be a good delivery.

From Project Gutenberg

The contract becomes complete when the policy is put in the mail, postage prepaid, for delivery in due course to the insured.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• consignment
• distribution
• shipment
• transmission