# special delivery

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/special-delivery
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Something—whether desirable or undesirable—which is intentionally given to a specific individual or which an individual receives rapidly and unexpectedly; the personalized, direct quality of the transmission of such an item.

## Examples

- The courier arrived with a special delivery for me.
- I was surprised when the office manager walked in with a special delivery of flowers for my birthday.
- The unexpected arrival of the legal notice, marked as a special delivery, signaled that the long-standing dispute had finally reached a critical turning point.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.