(~s)
1.
The ~ of something such as a message is the person who brings it to you.
I hate to be the ~ of bad news.
N-COUNT: usu N of n
2.
A ~ of a particular thing is a person who carries it, especially in a ceremony. (FORMAL)
...Britain’s flag ~ at the Olympic Games opening ceremony...
N-COUNT: usu n N
3.
The ~ of something such as a document, a right, or an official position is the person who possesses it or holds it. (FORMAL)
...the traditional bourgeois notion of the citizen as a ~ of rights...
Spanish identity documents state the ~’s profession.
= holder
N-COUNT: oft N of n, n N
4.
see also pall~ , standard ~