Dictionary

receive en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɹɪˈsiv/ (Canada, General-American)
• /ɹɪˈsiːv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English receyven, from Old French receivre, from Latin recipere (“take back, accept, etc.”), from re- (“back”) + capiō (“to take”); see capacious. Compare conceive, deceive, perceive. Displaced native Middle English terms in -fon/-fangen (e.g. afon, anfon, afangen, underfangen, etc. "to receive" from Old English -fōn), native Middle English thiggen (“to receive”) (from Old English þiċġan), and non-native Middle English aquilen, enquilen (“to receive”) (from Old French aquillir, encueillir).

Meanings

1. An operation in which data is received.
   • In the sonification of the PDE code, notes are scattered throughout a wide pitch range, and sends and receives are relatively balanced; although in the beginning of the application there are bursts of sends […] 1992, Tara M. Madhyastha, A Portable System for Data Sonification, page 71:

Forms

receive en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɹɪˈsiv/ (Canada, General-American)
• /ɹɪˈsiːv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English receyven, from Old French receivre, from Latin recipere (“take back, accept, etc.”), from re- (“back”) + capiō (“to take”); see capacious. Compare conceive, deceive, perceive. Displaced native Middle English terms in -fon/-fangen (e.g. afon, anfon, afangen, underfangen, etc. "to receive" from Old English -fōn), native Middle English thiggen (“to receive”) (from Old English þiċġan), and non-native Middle English aquilen, enquilen (“to receive”) (from Old French aquillir, encueillir).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To be given, sent, or paid something.
   • In America alone, people spent $170 billion on "direct marketing"—junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result. 2013 May 25, “No hiding place”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8837, London: Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 24 May 2013, page 74:
   • Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXXIX, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 305:
   • He received many presents for his birthday.
2. (dated, transitive) To take, as something that is offered; to accept.
   • Our hearts receiue your warnings. c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 235, column 1:
   • [T]he braſen Altar that was before the Lord was too little to receiue the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Kings 8:64, column 1:
   • And afterwards Thou [God] receivedst Seth and Enoch, and Enoch Thou translatedst; for Thou art the Creator of men, the Fountain of Life, the Supplier of Want, the Giver of Laws, the Rewarder of them that keep them, the Avenger of them that transgress them. 1873, Thomas Wimberley Mossman, quoting Pope Clement I (in translation), “The Genuine and Supposititious Writings of St. Clement”, in A History of the Catholic Church of Jesus Christ: From the Death of Saint John to the Middle of the Second Century: […], London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 58:
   • The idea of solidity we receive by our touch. 1689, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding:
   • He had the offer of employment, but he would not receive it.
3. To take goods knowing them to be stolen.
4. (transitive) To act as a host for guests; to give admittance to; to permit to enter, as into one's house, presence, company, etc.
   • to receive a lodger, visitor, ambassador, messenger, etc.
   • In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for the select circle—a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening for a pipe and a cheerful glass. [...] Strangers might enter the room, but they were made to feel that they were there on sufferance; they were received with distance and suspicion. 1892, Walter Besant, “The Select Circle”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 46:
   • And the barbarous people ſhewed vs no little kindneſſe: for they kindled a fire, and receiued us euery one becauſe of the preſent raine, and becauſe of the cold. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 28:2, column 1:
5. (transitive) To incur (an injury).
   • I received a bloody nose from the collision.
   • But because this is oftentimes dangerous, and much hurt hath been received thereby through casualty of fire, I advise the sticking four stakes into the earth, at least five feet above the ground [...] 1804, Robert Wissett, On the Cultivation and Preparation of Hemp:
6. To allow (a custom, tradition, etc.); to give credence or acceptance to.
   • For the Phariſes and all the Jewes, except they waſh their hands oft, eate not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they waſh, they eate not. And many other things there be, which they have receiued to hold, as the waſhing of cups and pots, braſen veſſels, and of tables. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 7:3–4, column 2:
7. To detect a signal from a transmitter.
8. (qualifier:badminton) To be in a position to take possession, or hit back the ball. ▸ To be in a position to hit back a service.
9. To be in a position to take possession, or hit back the ball. ▸ To be in a position to catch a forward pass.
10. (intransitive, transitive) To accept into the mind; to understand.
    • I cannot receive [translating recevoir] that manner, whereby we establish the continuance of our life. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 57, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

Forms

Antonyms

give · lose · unacquire · get rid of · sell · unget

Deriveds

television receive-only · RX · receiving ship · receiving line · on the receiving end · receiving time · autoreceive · misreceive · receiving reservoir · receiving blanket · receiving house · transceive · at the receiving end · receivability · receiving yard

Hypernyms

transfer

Hyponyms

purchase · find · snaffle · reap · hire · finagle · accumulate · blag · inveigle · collect · preobtain · borrow · beg · scavenge · eke out · earn · gather

Relateds

receivership · receptive · reception · receivable · receptacle · receiving · receival · receptionist · deserve · receiver · recipient · receipt · receivableness · receiveable

Synonyms

gain · cop · acquire · snag · obtain · attain · get · score · come by · win · take · secure · lay hold of · have · get one's hands on · receive · garner · lay hands on · accept · procure · enlist · get hold of · fang · land

Translations (217)

nl ontvangen (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · sw pokea (to take possession of) · nrf r'chéver (to take possession of) · bg получа́вам (to take what is offered, accept from another) · fr recevoir (to take possession of) · la recipiō (to take what is offered, accept from another) · fr recevoir (to act as a host for guests) · et võõrustama (to act as a host for guests) · da få (to take what is offered, accept from another) · el δέχομαι (to take what is offered, accept from another) · af kry (to take what is offered, accept from another) · rup dhixescu (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ca rebre (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru получи́ть (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mi taupaepae (to act as a host for guests) · es recibir (to take possession of) · ast recibir (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru получа́ть (to take possession of) · nl ontvangen (to act as a host for guests) · cs přijmout (to take possession of) · bn পাওয়া (to take what is offered, accept from another) · kaw tampa (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ca recebre (to take what is offered, accept from another) · cs obdržet (to take what is offered, accept from another) · fa دریافت کردن (to take what is offered, accept from another) · af ontvang (to act as a host for guests) · lo ຮັບ (to take what is offered, accept from another) · zdj uhundra (to take what is offered, accept from another) · xbr kei (to take what is offered, accept from another) · hi अगवानी करना (to take what is offered, accept from another) · bni yamba (to take what is offered, accept from another) · hi ग्रहण करना (to take what is offered, accept from another) · uz olmoq (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ca rebre (to take possession of) · ms terima (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ja 受ける (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mi tuku (to act as a host for guests) · eo ricevi (to take what is offered, accept from another) · be атрыма́ць (to take what is offered, accept from another) · az almaq (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mi rāhiri (to act as a host for guests) · fur ricevi (to take what is offered, accept from another) · es recibir (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru улови́ть (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · fi saada (to take what is offered, accept from another) · cmn 收 (to take possession of) · hu megkap (to take possession of) · lld rezever (to take what is offered, accept from another) · es receptar (to act as a host for guests) · ar اِسْتَلَمَ (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sh primiti (to take what is offered, accept from another) · cmn 接到 (to take what is offered, accept from another) · af ontvang (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · ln yamba (to take what is offered, accept from another) · zdj hwerewa (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sk obdržať (to take what is offered, accept from another) · af ontvang (to take possession of) · ru лови́ть (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · dsb pśiwześ (to take what is offered, accept from another) · bg прие́мам (to act as a host for guests) · hi लेना (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sv ta emot (to act as a host for guests) · uk прийма́ти (to act as a host for guests) · kw degemeres (to take what is offered, accept from another) · oc recebre (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sv erhålla (to take what is offered, accept from another) · cy derbyn (to take what is offered, accept from another) · tt алырга (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru получи́ть (to take possession of) · nn ta imot (to act as a host for guests) · fi vastaanottaa (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · ar يَسْتَقْبِل (to act as a host for guests) · ar اِسْتَقْبَلَ (to act as a host for guests) · ru ула́вливать (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · frr füünj (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sv ta emot (to take what is offered, accept from another) · nrf r'chéver (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mk до́бива (to take what is offered, accept from another) · vi nhận (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ro primi (to take possession of) · sk dostať (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mi tūtohu (to take what is offered, accept from another) · yi מקבל זײַן (to take what is offered, accept from another) · io aceptar (to act as a host for guests) · fr recevoir (to take what is offered, accept from another) · vi lĩnh (to take what is offered, accept from another) · fi ottaa vastaan (to take possession of) · gd faigh (to take what is offered, accept from another) · fi vastaanottaa (to act as a host for guests) · ckb پێشوازی کردن (to act as a host for guests) · kk алу (to take what is offered, accept from another) · rup dixescu (to take what is offered, accept from another) · zom nga (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sv motta (to take what is offered, accept from another) · be атры́мліваць (to take what is offered, accept from another) · grc δέχομαι (to act as a host for guests) · de empfangen (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · ky алуу (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sh примити (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sv mottaga (to take possession of) · de bekommen (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mn худалдаж авах (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sq marr (to take what is offered, accept from another) · fro recevoir (to take what is offered, accept from another) · zdj urenga (to act as a host for guests) · fr recevoir (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · sw pokea (to take what is offered, accept from another) · fro receivre (to take what is offered, accept from another) · cs obdržet (to take possession of) · ru пойма́ть (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · th รับ (to take what is offered, accept from another) · hy ստանալ (to take what is offered, accept from another) · gl recibir (to act as a host for guests) · az tutmaq (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · cmn 收到 (to take what is offered, accept from another) · de erhalten (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ko 받다 (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ja 受け取る (to take what is offered, accept from another) · nl ontvangen (to take possession of) · fi ottaa vastaan (to act as a host for guests) · chr ᎠᏯᏂᎭ (to act as a host for guests) · sv få (to take what is offered, accept from another) · hu kap (to take what is offered, accept from another) · uk отри́мати (to take what is offered, accept from another) · nn få (to take what is offered, accept from another) · tl tumanggap (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sv motta (to take possession of) · fi saada (to take possession of) · mi whiwhi (to take possession of) · bg полу́ча (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ca rebre (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · uk отри́мувати (to take what is offered, accept from another) · bg получа́вам (to take possession of) · pt receber (to take what is offered, accept from another) · hu fog (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · pl dostać (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ro primi (to take what is offered, accept from another) · gl recibir (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · af ontvang (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru принима́ть (to act as a host for guests) · pt ganhar (to take what is offered, accept from another) · tk almak (to take what is offered, accept from another) · yi קריגן (to take what is offered, accept from another) · cs dostat (to take what is offered, accept from another) · tr almak (to take what is offered, accept from another) · et saama (to take what is offered, accept from another) · de empfangen (to take what is offered, accept from another) · my ခံ (to take what is offered, accept from another) · is fá (to take what is offered, accept from another) · de kriegen (to take what is offered, accept from another) · pt receber (to take possession of) · yue 收到 (to take what is offered, accept from another) · vi thu (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mi tūtohi (to take what is offered, accept from another) · grc δέχομαι (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sv ta emot (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · kaw tarima (to take what is offered, accept from another) · arz استقبل (to take what is offered, accept from another) · de empfangen (to act as a host for guests) · ar الاِسْتِقبَال (to act as a host for guests) · tg дарёфт кардан (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru получа́ть (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · fa گرفتن (to take what is offered, accept from another) · qu chaskiy (to take what is offered, accept from another) · el λαμβάνω (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ja 貰う (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru приня́ть (to act as a host for guests) · frr fu (to take what is offered, accept from another) · cy cael (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mk до́бие (to take what is offered, accept from another) · la accipiō (to take what is offered, accept from another) · hi लेना (to take possession of) · ja 受け取る (to take possession of) · mnc ᠠᠯᡳᠮᠪᡳ (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ar اِسْتَلَمَ (to take possession of) · km ទទួល (to take what is offered, accept from another) · nb ta imot (to act as a host for guests) · lt gauti (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ka მიღება (to take what is offered, accept from another) · es recibir (to act as a host for guests) · az qonaq qəbul etmək (to act as a host for guests) · sga ad·cota (to take what is offered, accept from another) · gl recibir (to take possession of) · ia reciper (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru получа́ть (to take what is offered, accept from another) · vo lasumön (to act as a host for guests) · pl otrzymać (to take what is offered, accept from another) · cs dostat (to take possession of) · nl ontvangen (to take what is offered, accept from another) · nb få (to take what is offered, accept from another) · lv saņemt (to take what is offered, accept from another) · mn хүлээн авах (to take what is offered, accept from another) · got 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌽𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 (to take what is offered, accept from another) · hy ստանալ (to take possession of) · de erhalten (to take possession of) · nl krijgen (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sv motta (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · ko 받다 (to take possession of) · jv tampa (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ja 頂く (to take what is offered, accept from another) · gl recibir (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ru получи́ть (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · izh saavva (to take what is offered, accept from another) · tg гирифтан (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ar اِسْتَقْبَلَ (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ga faigh (to take what is offered, accept from another) · pro recebre (to take what is offered, accept from another) · it ricevere (to take what is offered, accept from another) · it ricevere (to take possession of) · de empfangen (to take possession of) · fi ottaa vastaan (telecommunications: to detect a signal) · fro reçoivre (to take what is offered, accept from another) · sl prejeti (to take what is offered, accept from another) · he קיבל (to take what is offered, accept from another) · hi प्राप्त करना (to take what is offered, accept from another) · es receptar (to take what is offered, accept from another) · ro recepționa (to take what is offered, accept from another)