receive

present singular third person receives · participle present receiving · participle past received · past received · first person past singular received · archaic present second person singular receivest · past second person singular received · archaic past second person singular receivedst · present singular third person receives · archaic present singular third person receiveth · past singular third person received · past plural received · past subjunctive received · participle present receiving · participle past received · alternative obsolete receave

1. transitiveTo be given, sent, or paid something.

   He received many presents for his birthday.

   2 more examples

   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

   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

2. datedtransitiveTo take, as something that is offered; to accept.

   He had the offer of employment, but he would not receive it.

   4 more examples

   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

   The idea of solidity we receive by our touch.

   1689, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

   [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

3. lawTo take goods knowing them to be stolen.
4. transitiveTo 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.

   2 more examples

   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

   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

   Synonyms: have

5. transitiveTo incur (an injury).

   I received a bloody nose from the collision.

   1 more example

   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.

   1 more example

   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. communicationsTo detect a signal from a transmitter.
8. To be in a position to take possession, or hit back the ball.
   1. badmintonball gamesTo be in a position to hit back a service.
   2. American footballTo be in a position to catch a forward pass.
9. intransitivetransitiveTo 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

plural receives · alternative obsolete receave · alternative obsolete receyve

1. communicationsAn 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