deliver

deliververb

Most senses of deliver mean passing something to the person or place that should get it: goods, words, a result, or a hit.

1. take to a placetake letters, packages, or goods to the person or place they were sent to

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj]

   • Can you deliver the sofa on Saturday? V + obj
   • The package was delivered to the wrong address. V + obj + prep + obj
   • We deliver until midnight.
   • Mail is delivered here twice a day. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun deliver a package, deliver a letter, deliver goods, deliver the mail, deliver food

   verb + preposition deliver something to someone, deliver something to a place

   phrase have something delivered, deliver on time

   Compare bring; send

2. say formallygive a speech or a talk, or formally tell people something important such as a decision or a message

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

   • She delivered a short speech at the wedding. V + obj
   • The judge delivered her decision in the afternoon. V + obj
   • He delivered the news calmly. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun deliver a speech, deliver a talk, deliver a lecture, deliver a message, deliver a decision

   Synonyms give (more usual in everyday speech)

3. do what is expecteddo what you have promised, or produce the result that people expect

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj] verb + preposition + object [V + prep + obj]

   • We need someone who can deliver.
   • The new phone doesn't deliver on its promises. V + prep + obj
   • The team delivered a strong performance. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + preposition deliver on a promise

   verb + noun deliver results, deliver a performance, deliver a service

4. a babyhelp a woman to give birth to a baby

   The subject is the doctor, nurse, or other person who helps, not the mother.

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

   • The doctor who delivered all three of her children has retired. V + obj
   • The baby was delivered safely early this morning. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun deliver a baby

5. a hitgive a hit, a kick, or a sudden shock to someone or something

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj]

   • He delivered a hard kick to the ball. V + obj + prep + obj
   • The bad news delivered a blow to the whole town. V + obj + prep + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun deliver a blow, deliver a kick, deliver a punch, deliver a shock