Re*ceive" (rē*sēv"), v. t.
[imp. & p. p. Received (-sēvd");
p. pr. & vb. n. Receiving.] [OF.
receveir, recevoir, F. recevoir, fr. L.
recipere; pref. re- re- + capere to take, seize.
See Capable, Heave, and cf. Receipt,
Reception, Recipe.] 1. To take, as
something that is offered, given, committed, sent, paid, or the like;
to accept; as, to receive money offered in payment of a debt;
to receive a gift, a message, or a letter.
Receyven all in gree that God us
sent.
Chaucer.
2. Hence: To gain the knowledge of; to take
into the mind by assent to; to give admission to; to accept, as an
opinion, notion, etc.; to embrace.
Our hearts receive your warnings.
Shak.
The idea of solidity we receive by our
touch.
Locke.
3. To allow, as a custom, tradition, or the
like; to give credence or acceptance to.
Many other things there be which they have
received to hold, as the washing of cups, and
pots.
Mark vii. 4.
4. To give admittance to; to permit to enter,
as into one's house, presence, company, and the like; as, to
receive a lodger, visitor, ambassador, messenger,
etc.
They kindled a fire, and received us every
one.
Acts xxviii. 2.
5. To admit; to take in; to hold; to contain;
to have capacity for; to be able to take in.
The brazen altar that was before the Lord was too
little to receive the burnt offerings.
1 Kings
viii. 64.
6. To be affected by something; to suffer; to
be subjected to; as, to receive pleasure or pain; to
receive a wound or a blow; to receive damage.
Against his will he can receive no
harm.
Milton.
7. To take from a thief, as goods known to be
stolen.
8. (Lawn Tennis) To bat back (the ball)
when served.
Receiving ship, one on board of which newly
recruited sailors are received, and kept till drafted for
service.
Syn. -- To accept; take; allow; hold; retain; admit. --
Receive, Accept. To receive describes simply the
act of taking. To accept denotes the taking with approval, or
for the purposes for which a thing is offered. Thus, we receive
a letter when it comes to hand; we receive news when it reaches
us; we accept a present when it is offered; we accept an
invitation to dine with a friend.
Who, if we knew
What we receive, would either not accept
Life offered, or soon beg to lay it down.
Milton.