de ‧ liv ‧ er S2 W2 /dɪˈlɪvə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: delivrer , from Latin liberare 'to set free' ]
1 . TAKE SOMETHING SOMEWHERE [intransitive and transitive] to take goods, letters, packages etc to a particular place or person:
The morning mail has just been delivered.
Do you deliver on Saturdays?
deliver something to somebody
They set off to deliver supplies to an isolated village.
I’m having some flowers delivered for her birthday.
2 . deliver a speech/lecture/address etc to make a speech etc to a lot of people:
The king delivered a televised speech to the nation on November 5.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say give a speech/lecture/talk rather than deliver a speech/lecture/talk .
3 . DO SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DO [intransitive and transitive] to do or provide the things you are expected to, because you are responsible for them or they are part of your job:
the costs of delivering adequate nursing care
the failure of some services to deliver the goods (=do what they have promised)
The company will deliver on its promises.
4 . BABY [transitive] to help a woman give birth to her baby, or to give birth to a baby:
They rushed her to hospital where doctors delivered her baby.
5 . BLOW/SHOCK ETC [transitive] to give something such as a blow, shock, or warning to someone or something:
He delivered a strong warning about the dangers facing the government.
6 . deliver a judgment/verdict to officially state a formal decision or judgment:
The jury delivered a verdict of unlawful killing.
7 . PERSON [transitive] formal to put someone into someone else’s control
deliver somebody to somebody
Sharett had betrayed him and delivered him to the enemy.
8 . VOTES [transitive] especially American English to get the votes or support of a particular group of people in an election:
He cannot deliver the Latino vote.
9 . MAKE SOMEBODY FREE OF SOMETHING [transitive] literary or biblical to help someone escape from something bad or evil
deliver somebody from something
‘Deliver us from evil,’ she prayed.
—deliverer noun [countable]
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ take to move or go with someone or something from one place to another:
Don’t forget to take your keys.
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Shall I take you home?
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I took Alice a cup of tea.
▪ bring to take someone or something to the place where you are now:
We’ve brought someone to see you!
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Will you bring your photos with you when you come?
▪ transport to take large quantities of goods from one place to another in a plane, train, ship etc:
The plane is used for transporting military equipment.
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The coal was transported by rail.
▪ deliver to take goods, letters, newspapers etc to someone’s home or office:
Unfortunately, the package was delivered to the wrong address.
▪ fly to take someone or something somewhere by plane:
The bread is specially flown in from Paris.
▪ ship to take goods from one place to another – this can be by ship, truck, plane, or train:
Half the whisky is shipped to Japan and the US.
▪ carry to take people or goods somewhere – used especially when saying how many people or things, or what kind:
The new plane can carry up to 600 passengers.
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The ship was carrying a full cargo of oil.
▪ lead to take someone to a place by going in front of them:
He led Julia through the house to his study.
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Roland led the way back to the car in silence.
▪ guide to take someone to a place and show them the way:
Emily guided him through a side gate into a large garden.
▪ escort to take someone to a place and protect or guard them:
The prisoner was escorted into the room by two police officers.
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The singer was escorted by her assistant and her bodyguard.
▪ usher to politely lead someone somewhere and show them where to go, especially because it is your job to do this:
We were ushered into the lift by a man in uniform.
deliver something ↔ up phrasal verb formal
to give something to someone else:
A bankrupt must deliver up all his books, papers and records.