receive Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb get something; come into possession of
    have.
    • receive payment
    • receive a gift
    • receive letters from the front
  2. verb receive a specified treatment (abstract)
    incur; obtain; find; get.
    • These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation
    • His movie received a good review
    • I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions
  3. verb register (perceptual input)
    pick up.
    • pick up a signal
  4. verb go through (mental or physical states or experiences)
    have; experience; get.
    • get an idea
    • experience vertigo
    • get nauseous
    • receive injuries
    • have a feeling
  5. verb express willingness to have in one's home or environs
    invite; take in.
    • The community warmly received the refugees
  6. verb accept as true or valid
    • He received Christ
  7. verb bid welcome to; greet upon arrival
    welcome.
  8. verb convert into sounds or pictures
    • receive the incoming radio signals
  9. verb experience as a reaction
    meet; encounter.
    • My proposal met with much opposition
  10. verb have or give a reception
    • The lady is receiving Sunday morning
  11. verb receive as a retribution or punishment
    get.
    • He got 5 years in prison
  12. verb partake of the Holy Eucharist sacrament
  13. verb regard favorably or with disapproval
    • Her new collection of poems was not well received

WordNet

Re*ceive" transitive verb
Etymology
OF. receiver, recevoir, F. recevoir, fr. L. recipere; pref. re- re- + capere to take, seize. See See Capable, Heave, and cf. Receipt, Reception, Recipe.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Received ; present participle & verbal noun Receiving
Definitions
  1. To take, as something that is offered, given, committed, sent, paid, or the like; to accept; as, to receive money offered in payment of a debt; to receive a gift, a message, or a letter.
    Receyven all in gree that God us sent. Chaucer.
  2. Hence: To gain the knowledge of; to take into the mind by assent to; to give admission to; to accept, as an opinion, notion, etc.; to embrace.
    Our hearts receive your warnings. Shak.
    The idea of solidity we receives by our touch. Locke.
  3. To allow, as a custom, tradition, or the like; to give credence or acceptance to.
    Many other things there be which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots. Mark vii. 4.
  4. To give admittance to; to permit to enter, as into one's house, presence, company, and the like; as, to receive a lodger, visitor, ambassador, messenger, etc.
    They kindled a fire, and received us every one. Acts xxviii. 2.
  5. To admit; to take in; to hold; to contain; to have capacity fro; to be able to take in.
    The brazen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings. 1 Kings viii. 64.
  6. To be affected by something; to suffer; to be subjected to; as, to receive pleasure or pain; to receive a wound or a blow; to receive damage.
    Against his will he can receive no harm. Milton.
  7. To take from a thief, as goods known to be stolen.
  8. (Lawn Tennis) To bat back (the ball) when served. Syn. -- To accept; take; allow; hold; retain; admit. -- Receive, Accept. To receive describes simply the act of taking. To accept denotes the taking with approval, or for the purposes for which a thing is offered. Thus, we receive a letter when it comes to hand; we receive news when it reaches us; we accept a present when it is offered; we accept an invitation to dine with a friend.
    Who, if we knew What we receive, would either not accept Life offered, or soon beg to lay it down. Milton.
Re*ceive" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To receive visitors; to be at home to receive calls; as, she receives on Tuesdays.
  2. (Lawn Tennis) To return, or bat back, the ball when served; as, it is your turn to receive.

Webster 1913