Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense receives, present participle receiving, past tense, past participle received
1. verb
When you receive something, you get it after someone gives it to you or sends it to you.
They will receive their awards at a ceremony in Stockholm. [VERB noun]
I received your letter of November 7. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: get, accept, be given, pick up More Synonyms of receive
2. verb
You can use receive to say that certain kinds of thing happen to someone. For example if they are injured, you can say that they received an injury.
He received more of the blame than anyone when the plan failed to work. [VERB noun]
She was suffering from whiplash injuries received in a car crash. [VERB-ed]
3. verb
When you receive a visitor or a guest, you greet them.
The following evening the duchess was again receiving guests. [VERB noun]
The shop assistant received me indifferently while leaning on a counter. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: greet, meet, admit, welcome More Synonyms of receive
4. verb [usually passive]
If you say that something is received in a particular way, you mean that people react to it in that way.
The resolution had been received with great disappointment within the organization. [beVERB-ed preposition/adverb]
The proposals have been well received by many deputies. [beV-ed with adv]
Synonyms: react to, take, hear, listen to More Synonyms of receive
5. verb
When a radio or television receives signals that are being transmitted, it picks them up and converts them into sound or pictures.
The reception was a little faint but clear enough for him to receive the signal. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB]
6. verb
If someone receives stolen goods, they buy or are given things that have been stolen.
[mainly British, law]
He went to prison for receiving stolen scrap iron. [VERB noun]
He received the shoes when stolen, and then passed them on to the men who would sellthem. [VERB noun]
regional note: in AM, use handle
Synonyms: buy, reCv [text messaging] More Synonyms of receive
7.
See to be on the receiving end
More Synonyms of receive
receive in British English
(rɪˈsiːv)
verb(mainly tr)
1.
to take (something offered) into one's hand or possession
2.
to have (an honour, blessing, etc) bestowed
3.
to accept delivery or transmission of (a letter, telephone call, etc)
4.
to be informed of (news or information)
5.
to hear and consent to or acknowledge (an oath, confession, etc)
6.
(of a vessel or container) to take or hold (a substance, commodity, or certain amount)
7.
to support or sustain (the weight of something); bear
8.
to apprehend or perceive (ideas, etc)
9.
to experience, undergo, or meet with
to receive a crack on the skull
10. (also intr)
to be at home to (visitors)
11.
to greet or welcome (visitors or guests), esp in formal style
12.
to admit (a person) to a place, society, condition, etc
he was received into the priesthood
13.
to accept or acknowledge (a precept or principle) as true or valid
14.
to convert (incoming radio signals) into sounds, pictures, etc, by means of a receiver
15. (also intr) tennis
to play at the other end from the server; be required to return (service)
16. (also intr)
to partake of (the Christian Eucharist)
17. (intransitive) mainly British
to buy and sell stolen goods
Word origin
C13: from Old French receivre, from Latin recipere to take back, from re- + capere to take
receive in American English
(rɪˈsiv)
verb transitiveWord forms: reˈceived or reˈceiving
1.
to take or get (something given, offered, sent, etc.); acquire or accept
2.
to encounter; experience
to receive acclaim
3.
to have inflicted on one; undergo; suffer
to receive a blow
4.
to take the effect or force of; bear
all four wheels receive the weight equally
5.
to react to as specified
a performance that was well received
6.
to apprehend mentally; get knowledge of or information about; learn
to receive news
7.
to accept mentally as authentic, valid, etc.
8.
a.
to let enter; admit
b.
to have room for; hold; contain
a cistern receives rainwater
9.
to grant admittance to or greet (visitors or guests)
10. Radio and Television
to detect (a radio or TV transmission) and convert it into sounds or images
11. Sport
to catch (a pass, throw, etc.)
verb intransitive
12.
to get, accept, take, or acquire something; be a recipient
13.
to admit or greet guests or visitors
14. Radio and Television
to convert incoming electromagnetic waves into sound or light, thus reproducing the sounds or images being transmitted
15. Sport
a.
to be the team set to return the ball on a kickoff
b.
to be the player or team that returns or attempts to return a serve
Idioms:
be on the receiving end
SYNONYMY NOTE: receive means to get by having something given, told, or imposed, and may or may not implythe consent of the recipient [to receive a gift, a blow, etc.]; accept means to receive willingly or favorably, but it sometimes connotes acquiescence ratherthan explicit approval [he was accepted as a member, to accept the inevitable]; admit stresses permission or concession on the part of the one that receives [I will not admit him in my home]; take, in this connection, means to accept something offered or presented [we can't take money from you]
OPPOSITE: give
Word origin
ME receiven < Anglo-Fr receivre < OFr < L recipere < re-, back + capere, to take: see have
Examples of 'receive' in a sentence
receive
He received a letter saying that it was legally privileged.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He had been on the receiving end of a few and he had to dish some out.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was told to throw away any letters received about the safety notice.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
BRITAIN'S first pregnant man says he has received death threats.
The Sun (2017)
He received letters from all over the world from fans who liked to quote his best lines.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It has received dozens of calls.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Then he received a phone call from Mulberry.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's no use to the team on the receiving end if a player is banned retrospectively.
The Sun (2017)
Patrol officers received a call soon after 11am.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
One witness who received an email saying his identity would be handed over said:'This is a nightmare.
The Sun (2017)
They then use the money received to buy farmland.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Better teams than this will be on the receiving end this season.
The Sun (2009)
The agent accepted he did receive money but through an approved channel.
The Sun (2010)
The telephones could not receive incoming calls.
Coyle, Andrew & Stern, Vivien The Prisons We Deserve (1994)
The nurses also had mobile phones on which they appeared to receive personal calls.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Only in this way will you receive the full enrichment a book is waiting to bestow.
Lumsden, Robert 23 Steps to Successful Achievement (1972)
It was extremely exciting to receive that phone call.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It says that patients expected less but in some ways received more.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It is at this point that victims begin receiving calls.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In this way we were receiving feedback on any issues worrying the shareholders.
Thompson, Sir Peter Sharing the Success - the story of NFC (1990)
If you decide to buy it you receive a discount based on the fees you have already paid.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Our company receives 1,000 letters a week.
Kiam, Victor Going For It!: How to Succeed As an Entrepreneur (1986)
Say the trust received income of 1,000 from deposits.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Perhaps they were at the receiving end of an adult losing control and have therefore grown up with an understandable terror of anger.
Lindenfield, Gael 50 Ways to Become a Self-Confident Woman (1989)
We're looking for persons who have insights to share with the writer of the following letter we received.
Christianity Today (2000)
When he received a letter accepting his first book'it was like getting a letter froman unearthly address.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
No one can say I received this money from a foreign government.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The service I received on buying a new car was abysmal.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But I have received many letters from younger people shocked by their first experience of hospitals.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I really don't want to be on the receiving end.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Yours is one of many letters I have received following my highlighting of a similar experience some weeks ago.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
receive
British English: receive /rɪˈsiːv/ VERB
When you receive something, you get it after someone gives it to you or sends it to you.
They will receive their awards at the ceremony this evening.
American English: receive
Arabic: يَسْتَلِمُ
Brazilian Portuguese: receber
Chinese: 收到
Croatian: primiti
Czech: obdržet
Danish: modtage
Dutch: ontvangen
European Spanish: recibir
Finnish: saada vastaanottaa
French: recevoir
German: erhalten
Greek: λαμβάνω
Italian: ricevere
Japanese: 受け取る
Korean: 받다
Norwegian: motta
Polish: otrzymać
European Portuguese: receber
Romanian: a primi
Russian: получать
Latin American Spanish: recibir
Swedish: ta emot
Thai: ได้รับ
Turkish: almak
Ukrainian: отримувати
Vietnamese: nhận
All related terms of 'receive'
receive income
A person's or organization's income is the money that they earn or receive , as opposed to the money that they have to spend or pay out.
receive donations
A donation is something which someone gives to a charity or other organization.
receive education
Education involves teaching people various subjects, usually at a school or college , or being taught .
receive a letter
If you write a letter to someone, you write a message on paper and send it to them, usually by post .
receive an apology
An apology is something that you say or write in order to tell someone that you are sorry that you have hurt them or caused trouble for them.
receive a salary
A salary is the money that someone is paid each month by their employer , especially when they are in a profession such as teaching , law, or medicine.
receive information
Information about someone or something consists of facts about them.
receive a complaint
A complaint is a statement in which you express your dissatisfaction with a particular situation.
receive a diagnosis
Diagnosis is the discovery and naming of what is wrong with someone who is ill or with something that is not working properly.
Chinese translation of 'receive'
receive
(rɪˈsiːv)
vt
(= get)
[money, letter etc]收到 (shōudào)
[injury, treatment]受到 (shòudào)
[criticism, acclaim]遭受 (zāoshòu)
(Rad, TV) 接收 (jiēshōu)
(frm, = welcome)[visitor, guest]接待 (jiēdài)
(= react to) 接受到 (jiēshòudào)
"received with thanks" (Comm) "钱(錢)款已收到，谢(謝)谢(謝)" ("qiánkuǎn yǐ shōudào, xièxie")
to be on the receiving end of sth遭受某事 (zāoshòu mǒushì)
1 (verb)
Definition
to have (an honour) bestowed
I received your letter.
Synonyms
get
The problem was how to get enough food.
accept
All old clothes will be gratefully accepted by the organizers.
be given
pick up
collect
I collected her at the station.
obtain
Evans was trying to obtain a false passport.
acquire
She has acquired a 50% stake in the company.
take
He took the gold medal in the 100 metres.
derive
He is one of those people who derives pleasure from helping others.
be in receipt of
accept delivery of
reCv (textmessaging)
2 (verb)
Definition
to experience
He received a blow to the head.
Synonyms
experience
couples who have experienced the trauma of divorce
suffer
The peace process has suffered a serious blow now.
bear
She bore her sufferings bravely.
go through
encounter
Every day we encounter stresses of one kind or another.
meet with
sustain
Every aircraft in there has sustained some damage.
undergo
New recruits have been undergoing training in recent weeks.
be subjected to
reCv (textmessaging)
3 (verb)
Definition
to greet (guests)
The following evening the duchess was again receiving guests.
Synonyms
greet
She was waiting at the door to greet her guests.
meet
admit
Journalists are rarely admitted to the region.
welcome
Several people came out to welcome me.
entertain
I don't really like to entertain guests any more.
take in
accommodate
Students are accommodated in homes nearby.
be at home to
reCv (textmessaging)
4 (verb)
Definition
to react to
The proposals have been well received by many deputies.
Synonyms
react to
take
He had taken the news badly.
hear
You can hear commentary on the match in about half an hour.
listen to
respond to
reCv (textmessaging)
5 (verb)
Definition
to be informed of (news)
Synonyms
be informed of
hear
He had heard that the trophy had been sold.
learn
They learned of his military service from archive records.
discover
As he discovered, she had a brilliant mind.
be told
gather
I gather his report is highly critical of the project.
perceive
He was beginning to perceive the true nature of their relationship.
find out about
apprehend
be made aware of
reCv (textmessaging)
6 (verb)
Definition
to buy and sell stolen goods
He went to prison for receiving stolen scrap iron.
Synonyms
buy
reCv (textmessaging)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of accept
Definition
to take or receive something offered
All old clothes will be gratefully accepted by the organizers.
Synonyms
receive,
take,
gain,
pick up,
secure,
collect,
have,
get,
obtain,
acquire
in the sense of accommodate
Definition
to provide with lodgings
Students are accommodated in homes nearby.
Synonyms
house,
put up,
take in,
lodge,
board,
quarter,
shelter,
entertain,
harbour,
cater for,
billet
in the sense of acquire
Definition
to get or develop (something such as an object, trait, or ability)
She has acquired a 50% stake in the company.
Synonyms
get,
win,
buy,
receive,
land (informal),
score (slang),
gain,
achieve,
earn,
pick up,
bag,
secure,
collect,
gather,
realize,
obtain,
attain,
amass,
procure,
come into possession of
Synonyms of 'receive'
receive
Explore 'receive' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of admit
Definition
to allow (someone) to enter
Journalists are rarely admitted to the region.
Synonyms
let in,
allow,
receive,
accept,
introduce,
include,
welcome,
greet,
take in,
incorporate,
initiate,
give access to,
allow to enter
in the sense of bear
Definition
to tolerate or endure
She bore her sufferings bravely.
Synonyms
suffer,
feel,
experience,
go through,
sustain,
stomach,
endure,
undergo,
admit,
brook,
hack (slang),
abide,
put up with (informal)
in the sense of collect
Definition
to go to a place to fetch (a person or thing)
I collected her at the station.
Synonyms
fetch,
get,
meet,
pick up
in the sense of derive
He is one of those people who derives pleasure from helping others.
Synonyms
obtain,
get,
receive,
draw,
gain,
collect,
gather,
extract,
elicit,
glean,
procure
in the sense of discover
Definition
to learn about for the first time
As he discovered, she had a brilliant mind.
Synonyms
find out,
see,
learn,
reveal,
spot,
determine,
notice,
realize,
recognize,
perceive,
detect,
disclose,
uncover,
discern,
ascertain,
suss (out) (slang),
get wise to (informal)
in the sense of encounter
Definition
to be faced with
Every day we encounter stresses of one kind or another.
Synonyms
experience,
meet,
face,
suffer,
have,
go through,
sustain,
endure,
undergo,
run into,
live through
in the sense of entertain
Definition
to show hospitality to (guests)
I don't really like to entertain guests any more.
Synonyms
show hospitality to,
receive,
accommodate,
treat,
put up,
lodge,
be host to,
have company of,
invite round,
ask round,
invite to a meal,
ask for a meal,
NtRtain
in the sense of gather
Definition
to learn from information given
I gather his report is highly critical of the project.
Synonyms
understand,
believe,
hear,
learn,
assume,
take it,
conclude,
presume,
be informed,
infer,
deduce,
surmise,
be led to believe
in the sense of hear
Definition
to listen to
You can hear commentary on the match in about half an hour.
Synonyms
listen to,
heed,
attend to,
eavesdrop on,
listen in to,
give attention to,
hearken to (archaic),
hark to,
be all ears for (informal)
in the sense of hear
Definition
to be informed (of something)
He had heard that the trophy had been sold.
Synonyms
learn,
discover,
find out,
understand,
pick up,
gather,
be informed,
ascertain,
be told of,
get wind of (informal),
hear tell (dialect)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of learn
Definition
to become informed
They learned of his military service from archive records.
Synonyms
discover,
hear,
understand,
gain knowledge,
find out about,
become aware,
discern,
ascertain,
come to know,
suss (out) (slang)
in the sense of obtain
Definition
to gain possession of
Evans was trying to obtain a false passport.
Synonyms
get,
gain,
acquire,
land (informal),
net,
pick up,
bag,
secure,
get hold of,
come by,
procure,
get your hands on,
score (slang),
come into possession of
in the sense of perceive
Definition
to understand or grasp
He was beginning to perceive the true nature of their relationship.
Synonyms
understand,
sense,
gather,
get (informal),
know,
see,
feel,
learn,
realize,
conclude,
appreciate,
grasp,
comprehend,
get the message about,
deduce,
apprehend,
suss (out) (slang),
get the picture about
in the sense of suffer
Definition
to undergo or be subjected to (physical pain or mental distress)
The peace process has suffered a serious blow now.
Synonyms
undergo,
experience,
sustain,
feel,
bear,
go through,
endure
in the sense of sustain
Definition
to suffer (an injury or loss)
Every aircraft in there has sustained some damage.
Synonyms
suffer,
experience,
undergo,
feel,
bear,
endure,
withstand,
bear up under
in the sense of take
He took the gold medal in the 100 metres.
Synonyms
win,
get,
be awarded,
receive,
land (informal),
be given,
pick up,
bag (informal),
secure,
collect,
obtain,
scoop (informal),
be presented with,
carry off,
walk away or off with
in the sense of take
Definition
to receive in a specified way
He had taken the news badly.
Synonyms
respond to,
meet,
deal with,
receive,
cope with,
greet,
react to
in the sense of undergo
Definition
to experience, endure, or sustain
New recruits have been undergoing training in recent weeks.