- 1[transitive] (rather formal) to get or accept something that is sent or given to you receive something to receive a letter/present/phone call to receive information/payment/thanks receive something from somebody/something He received an award for bravery from the police department. treatment/injury
- 2[transitive] to experience or be given a particular type of treatment or an injury receive something from somebody We received a warm welcome from our hosts. receive something Emergency cases will receive professional attention immediately. to receive severe injuries
- 3[transitive, usually passive] to react to something new in a particular way receive something + adv./prep. The play was well received by the critics. The proposals have been favorably received by most political commentators. receive something with something The statistics were received with concern. guests
- 4[transitive, often passive] receive somebody (with something) receive somebody (as something) (formal) to welcome or entertain a guest, especially formally He was received as an honored guest at the White House. as member of something
- 5[transitive] receive somebody (into something) to officially recognize and accept someone as a member of a group Three young people were received into the church at Easter. TV/radio
- 6[transitive] receive something to change broadcast signals into sounds or pictures on a television, radio, etc. to receive programs via satellite
- 7[transitive] receive something/somebody to be able to hear a radio message that is being sent by someone I'm receiving you loud and clear.
- 8[intransitive, transitive] receive (something) (in tennis, etc.) to be the player that the server hits the ball to She won the toss and chose to receive. Idioms
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NAmE//rɪˈsiv//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they receive he / she / it receives
past simple received
-ing form receiving
to be the person that an action, etc. is directed at, especially an unpleasant one She found herself on the receiving end of a lot of criticism.
Check pronunciation: receive