deliver
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /dɪˈlɪvə(ɹ)/
ipa: /dɪˈlɪvɚ/
note: Indic
ipa: /ˈɖɛlɪvə(r)/
Forms: form: delivers
form: delivering
form: delivered
form: delivered
form: delivre
form: deliever
Etymology: From Middle English deliveren, from Anglo-Norman and Old French delivrer, from Latin dē + līberō (“to set free”).
Compare typologically dispatch, analyzable as dis- + impeach, from Latin impedicō (also akin to impede).
Senses: examples: text: The hostage was delivered from her captors and thus preserved from any danger.
synonyms: free
liberate
release
glosses: To set free from restraint or danger.
examples: text: the doctor delivered the baby
qualifier: process
glosses: Senses having to do with birth.
To assist in the birth of.
examples: text: the duchess was delivered of a son
text: the doctor is expected to deliver her of a daughter tomorrow
text: Sche was delivered sauf and sone
text: The queen has already been delivered, and is presenting her daughter to several goddesses, who have acted the part of midwives.
ref: 1890, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 2, page 133:
qualifier: process
glosses: Senses having to do with birth.
To assist (a female) in bearing, that is, in bringing forth (a child).
raw_tags: with "of"
examples: text: she delivered a baby boy yesterday
qualifier: process
glosses: Senses having to do with birth.
To give birth to.
examples: text: Tully was long ere he could be delivered of a few verses, and those poor ones.
ref: 1622, Henry Peacham, The Compleat Gentleman:
glosses: To free from or disburden of anything.
examples: text: deliver a package
text: deliver the mail
text: Mr. Cooke had had a sloop yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter X, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
glosses: To bring or transport something to its destination.
examples: text: deliver the thief to the police
text: Thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 40:13:
text: The constables have delivered her over.
ref: c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:
text: The exalted mind / All sense of woe delivers to the wind.
ref: 1725, Homer, “Book IV”, in [Elijah Fenton], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
glosses: To hand over or surrender (someone or something) to another.
examples: text: deliver on a promise
text: "You know, he plays great sometimes when he doesn't score," Brown said. "Tonight, with Rip (Richard Hamilton) struggling, we needed somebody to step up, and he really did. He really delivered."
ref: 2004, Detroit News, Detroit Pistons: Champions at Work, page 86:
text: However, ministers argue they are delivering the Brexit demanded by the electorate – and say it is time for businesses to wean themselves off cheap migrant labour.
ref: 2020 February 18, “UK to close door to non-English speakers and unskilled workers”, in The Guardian:
text: This is our vital mission to ensure opportunity and prosperity for all people and future generations. I am determined to deliver. Thank you.
ref: 2022 September 6, Liz Truss, “Prime Minister Liz Truss’s statement”, in Gov.uk:
text: But overall, I think the railway delivered very well on my travels. I'd give it 9/10 - there are just a few little rough edges that need smoothing off.
ref: 2023 November 29, 'Mystery Shopper', “Does the railway deliver for passengers?”, in RAIL, number 997, page 53:
text: But...what exactly are celebrities asking for in the first place? It’s a classic chicken-and-egg scenario. Dw, tho, I asked the pros firsthand: What are the elite set asking for this year, for those of us who want to get in on the trends a little early? And they delivered.
ref: 2024 September 5, Beth Gillette, “24 Fall Hair Colors Every Celebrity Is Asking for Rn”, in Cosmopolitan:
text: England delivered the finest performance of head coach Thomas Tuchel's reign as they took a giant stride towards World Cup qualification by outclassing Serbia in Belgrade.
ref: 2025 September 9, Phil McNulty, “Serbia 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport:
glosses: To produce what is expected or required.
examples: text: deliver a speech
text: The stories did not seem to me to touch life. […] They left me with the impression of a well-delivered stereopticon lecture, with characters about as life-like as the shadows on the screen, and whisking on and off, at the mercy of the operator.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
text: It’s a lovely sequence cut too short because the show seems afraid to give itself over to romance and whimsy and wistfulness when it has wedgie jokes to deliver.
ref: 2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:
text: England went into the interval 22-6 down, a second [Owen] Farrell penalty their only response to Scotland’s burst of tries. They had not conceded more points in a Six Nations match in the Eddie Jones era and when the whistle blew for the interval, Dylan Hartley formed his players into a circle to deliver a rallying cry.
ref: 2018 February 24, Paul Rees, “Finn Russell masterminds historic Scotland victory over England”, in The Guardian, London, archived from the original on 22 Apr 2018:
glosses: To express in words or vocalizations, declare, utter, or vocalize.
examples: text: to deliver a blow
text: shaking his head and delivering some show of tears
ref: a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
english: The New Arcadia
translation: The New Arcadia
text: An uninstructed bowler […] thinks to attain the jack by delivering his bowl straight forward.
ref: 1822, [Walter Scott], Peveril of the Peak. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC:
glosses: To give forth in action or exercise; to discharge.
examples: text: I'll deliver myself your loyal servant.
ref: c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi]:
glosses: To discover; to show.
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: To administer a drug.
Synonyms: sense: to set free
word: free
sense: to set free
word: loose
sense: to set free
word: rid
sense: to set free
word: outbring
sense: to express
word: utter
sense: to express
word: outbring
sense: produce what was required
word: come through
sense: produce what was required
word: come up with the goods
Derived terms: codeliver
deliverability
deliverable
deliverance
deliveree
deliverer
deliveress
deliverly
deliverness
deliverology
deliver over into
deliver over to
deliver the goods
deliver the message to Garcia
deliver up
deliver up to
delivery
hand-deliver
hand deliver
misdeliver
outdeliver
overdeliver
predeliver
redeliver
self-deliver
stand and deliver
undeliverability
underdeliver