deliver

• delivre (archaic)
• deliever (obsolete)

From Middle English deliveren, from Anglo-Norman and Old French delivrer, from Latin dē + līberō (“to set free”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɪˈlɪvə(ɹ)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /dɪˈlɪvɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: de‧liv‧er

deliver (third-person singular simple present delivers, present participle delivering, simple past and past participle delivered)

1. To set free from restraint or danger.

   deliver a captive from the prison

   Synonyms: free, liberate, release

2. (process) Senses having to do with birth.
   1. To assist in the birth of.

      the doctor delivered the baby

   2. (formal, with "of") To assist (a female) in bearing, that is, in bringing forth (a child).

      the duchess was delivered of a son

      the doctor is expected to deliver her of a daughter tomorrow

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        c. 1386–1390, John Gower, edited by Reinhold Pauli, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best Manuscripts, volumes (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Bell and Daldy […], published 1857, →OCLC:

        Sche was delivered sauf and sone

      • 1890, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 2, page 133:

        The queen has already been delivered, and is presenting her daughter to several goddesses, who have acted the part of midwives.

   3. To give birth to.

      she delivered a baby boy yesterday

3. To free from or disburden of anything.
   • 1622, Henry Peacham, The Compleat Gentleman:

     Tully was long ere he could be delivered of a few verses, and those poor ones.

4. To bring or transport something to its destination.

   deliver a package

   deliver the mail

   • 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:

     Mr. Cooke had had a sloop yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered.

5. To hand over or surrender (someone or something) to another.

   deliver the thief to the police

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 40:13:

     Thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand.

   • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:

     The constables have delivered her over.

   • 1725, Homer, “Book IV”, in [Elijah Fenton], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:

     The exalted mind / All sense of woe delivers to the wind.

6. (intransitive, transitive, informal) To produce what is expected or required.
   • 2004, Detroit News, Detroit Pistons: Champions at Work, page 86:

     "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."

   • 2020 February 18, “UK to close door to non-English speakers and unskilled workers”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     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.

   • 2022 September 6, Liz Truss, “Prime Minister Liz Truss’s statement”, in Gov.uk‎^[2]:

     This is our vital mission to ensure opportunity and prosperity for all people and future generations. I am determined to deliver. Thank you.

   • 2023 November 29, 'Mystery Shopper', “Does the railway deliver for passengers?”, in RAIL, number 997, page 53:

     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.

   • 2024 September 5, Beth Gillette, “24 Fall Hair Colors Every Celebrity Is Asking for Rn”, in Cosmopolitan‎^[3]:

     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.

7. To express in words or vocalizations, declare, utter, or vocalize.
   • 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:

     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.

   • 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:

     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.

   • 2018 February 24, Paul Rees, “Finn Russell masterminds historic Scotland victory over England”, in The Guardian‎^[4], London, archived from the original on 22 April 2018:

     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.

   deliver a speech

8. To give forth in action or exercise; to discharge.

   to deliver a blow

   • 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, London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:

     shaking his head and delivering some show of tears

   • 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:

     An uninstructed bowler […] thinks to attain the jack by delivering his bowl straight forward.

9. To discover; to show.
   • 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]:

     I'll deliver myself your loyal servant.

10. (medicine) To administer a drug.

• (to set free): free, loose, rid, outbring
• (to express): utter, outbring
• (produce what was required): come through, come up with the goods

deliver (comparative more deliver, superlative most deliver)

1. (rare) Capable, agile, or active.
   • 1562, George Cavendish, The Life of Cardinal Wolsey:

     Therefore my policy and advice shall be this: That about the dead time of the night, when our enemies be most quiet at rest, there shall issue from us a number of the most deliverest soldiers to assault their camp; who shall give the assault right secretly, even directly against the entry of the camp, which is almost invincible.

   • 1887, William Minto, The Mediation of Ralph Hardelot:

     "More skillful!" interrupted the host. "He is the most deliver at that exercise I have ever set eyes on."

• “deliver”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “deliver”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

• delivre, livered, relived, reviled