What does "delivery" mean?

1. (bringing goods) the act of taking letters, parcels, or goods to a person or a place. 2. (childbirth) the process of a mother giving birth to a baby. 3. (speaking style) the way that someone speaks or performs in front of an audience. 4. (medical drug administration) the way a medicine is given to a patient, such as through a pill or a needle.

delivery

US //dɪˈɫɪvɝi// UK //dɪlˈɪvəɹi// de·liv·ery

1 bringing goods (n.)
B1 Intermediate

the act of taking letters, parcels, or goods to a person or a place.

the act of conveying or transporting goods, mail, or services to a specific destination.

Example

The supermarket offers free delivery if you spend more than fifty dollars.

Example

The logistics company guaranteed next-day delivery for all domestic parcels, provided they were processed before the evening cutoff.
- collection
- pickup
2 childbirth (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

the process of a mother giving birth to a baby.

the act or process of giving birth to offspring; the final stage of pregnancy.

Example

The mother had a very quick delivery and both she and the baby are doing well.

Example

The medical team prepared for a complicated delivery, ensuring that a neonatal specialist was present in the operating theatre.

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3 speaking style (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the way that someone speaks or performs in front of an audience.

the manner in which a speech, lecture, or musical performance is presented or uttered.

Example

The comedian has great jokes, but his fast delivery makes them hard to follow.

Example

Although the content of the lecture was academic, the professor's charismatic delivery kept the students engaged for the entire hour.
- presentation
- articulation
- enunciation
4 medical drug administration (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

the way a medicine is given to a patient, such as through a pill or a needle.

the method or system by which a drug or therapeutic agent is administered to the body.

Example

Scientists are looking for a better delivery method for this new cancer drug.

Example

The research paper discusses a novel drug delivery system that uses nanoparticles to target specific cells without damaging healthy tissue.
- administration
- intake

Origin

From Middle English deliveri et al., from Anglo-Norman, from Old French delivrer.

Idioms1 entry

01
special delivery
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.