receiver

American  

[ri-see-ver] / rɪˈsi vər /

noun

1. a person or thing that receives.

2. a device or apparatus that receives electrical signals, waves, or the like, and renders them perceptible to the senses, as the part of a telephone held to the ear, a radio receiving set, or a television receiving set.

3. Law. a person appointed by a court to manage the affairs of a bankrupt business or person or to care for property in litigation.

4. Commerce. a person appointed to receive money due.

5. a person who knowingly receives stolen goods for an illegal purpose; a dealer in stolen merchandise.

6. a device or apparatus for receiving or holding something; receptacle; container.

7. (in a firearm) the basic metal unit housing the action and to which the barrel and other components are attached.

8. Chemistry. a vessel for collecting and containing a distillate.

9. Football. a player on the offensive team who catches, is eligible to catch, or is noted for the ability to catch a forward pass.

   Jones was the receiver of the first pass thrown. He sent all his receivers downfield.

10. Baseball. the catcher.

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receiver British  

/ rɪˈsiːvə /

noun

1. a person who receives something; recipient

2. a person appointed by a court to manage property pending the outcome of litigation, during the infancy of the owner, or after the owner(s) has been declared bankrupt or of unsound mind

3. a person who receives stolen goods knowing that they have been stolen

4. the equipment in a telephone, radio, or television that receives incoming electrical signals or modulated radio waves and converts them into the original audio or video signals

5. the part of a telephone containing the earpiece and mouthpiece that is held by the telephone user

6. the equipment in a radar system, radio telescope, etc, that converts incoming radio signals into a useful form, usually displayed on the screen of a cathode-ray oscilloscope

7. an obsolete word for receptacle

8. chem a vessel in which the distillate is collected during distillation

9. sport a player whose function is to receive the ball, esp a footballer who catches long passes

10. the metallic frame situated behind the breech of a gun to guide the round into the chamber

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receiver Scientific  

/ rĭ-sē′vər /

1. A device, as in a radio or telephone, that converts incoming radio, microwave, or electrical signals to a form, such as sound or light, that can be perceived by humans.

2. Compare transmitter

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Other Word Forms

• prereceiver noun
• underreceiver noun

Etymology

Origin of receiver

1300–50; 1875–80 receiver for def. 2; receive + -er ¹; replacing Middle English recevour < Anglo-French receivour, recevour (< Old French recevere )

Example Sentences

He thrust the receiver up against my ear but kept his own hand on it.

From Literature

"If you have a terahertz microscope, you could study how terahertz light interacts with microscopically small devices that could serve as future antennas or receivers."

From Science Daily

He was most proud of former running back Byron Ellis, who became an orthopedic surgeon, and receiver Brycen Tremayne, who walked on at Stanford, went undrafted and made the Carolina Panthers.

From Los Angeles Times

The Steelers, incidentally, take a receiver in this mock — and there are lots of talented prospects at that spot, too.

From Los Angeles Times

A little static, someone fumbling with the receiver.

From Literature