address

Direction.

Noun

  1. Direction.

    1. (obsolete) Guidance; help.

    2. (chiefly in the plural, now archaic) A polite approach made to another person, especially of a romantic nature; an amorous advance.

      • [H]e was thus agreeable, and I neither insensible of his Perfections, nor displeased at his Addresses to me […]. - 1723, Richard Steele, The Lover and Reader, page 115:

    3. A manner of speaking or writing to another; language, style.

      • a man of pleasing or insinuating address

    4. (diplomacy, politics) A formal approach to a sovereign or head of state, especially an official appeal or petition.

    5. (diplomacy, politics) A formal approach to a sovereign or head of state, especially an official appeal or petition.

      (Commonwealth, politics) A response given by each of the Houses of Parliament to the sovereign's speech at the opening of Parliament.

    6. An act of addressing oneself to a person or group; a discourse or speech, or a record of this.

      • Mr. Gregson, who had listened to this address with considerable impatience, could contain himself no longer. - 1887, Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet, section VII:
      • I watched her without knowing, with a prevision that she was going to address me, though with no sort of idea as to the subject of her address. - 1889, Margaret Oliphant, The Portrait:

    7. A description of the location of a property, usually with at least a street name and number, name of a town, and now also a postal code; such a description as superscribed for direction on an envelope or letter.

      • Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never...
      • The President's address is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.

    8. The location of a property.

      • I went to his address but there was nobody there.

    9. (computing) A number identifying a specific storage location in computer memory.

      • The program will crash if there is no valid data stored at that address.

    10. (networking, Internet) A string of characters identifying a node or range of nodes on a network (especially the Internet), such as an e-mail address, IP address or URL.

      Synonyms: network address

  2. Preparation.
    • This is one bad effect of a good Character—it invites applications from the unfortunate and there needs no small degree of address to gain the reputation of Benevolence without incurring the expence.— - 1777, Richard...
    • The warmth of Father Pedro's constitution had formerly drawn him into some scrapes from which it required all his address to disengage himself, and rendered him exceedingly cautious ever after. - 1789, John Moore,...
    • At their turning-lathes, they employ their toes to guide the chisel; and, in these pedipulations, shew to Europeans a diverting degree of address. - 1813, “Customs, Manners, and present Appearance of Constantinople”, in...

    1. (now rare) Preparedness for some task; resourcefulness; skill, ability.

    2. (obsolete) The act of getting ready; preparation.

      • But now again she makes address to speak. - 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes:

    3. (golf, Scotland) The act of bringing the head of the club up to the ball in preparation for swinging.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Old French a- Proto-Italic *dwizrektos Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- Proto-Indo-European *h₃réǵeti Proto-Italic *dwizregō Vulgar Latin dīrigō Vulgar Latin dīrēctus Proto-Indo-European *-yetider. Vulgar Latin -iāre Vulgar Latin *dīrēctiāre Old French drecier Old French adrecierbor. Middle English adressen English address From Middle English adressen (“to radise erect, adorn”), from Old French adrecier (“to straighten, address”) (modern French adresser), from Proto-Romance *addīrēctiāre, from ad- (“to; towards”) + *dīrēctiāre (“to guide; to direct”), from Latin dīrēctus (“straight; right”), from dīrigō (“to lay straight; to direct”), itself from regō (“to govern, to rule”). Cognate with Spanish aderezar (“to garnish; dress (food); to add spices”).

Forms

addresses

Derived

absolute address accommodation address addressal address assignment addressation address bar address book address bus addressful addressive addressless address line address message address of record addressograph address space address verification service base address counteraddress dynamic IP address e-address eddress email address form of address

Verb

  1. To prepare oneself.
    • Let us address to tend on Hector's heels. - c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London:...
  2. To direct speech.
    • Young Turnus to the Beaubteous Maid addreſs’d. - 1697, Virgil, “Virgil’s Æneis, Book VII”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […],...
  3. To aim; to direct.
    • And this good knight his way with me addrest. - 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
  4. To prepare or make ready.
    • His foe was soone addrest. - 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 14:
    • Then Turnus, from his chariot, leaping light, Addreſs’d himſelf on foot to ſingle fight. - 1697, Virgil, “Virgil’s Æneis, Book X”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and...
    • The five foolish virgins addressed themselves at the noise of the bridegroom's coming. - 1649, Jeremy Taylor, The Great Exemplar of Sanctity and Holy Life According to the Christian Institution:
  5. To prepare oneself; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.
    • These men addressed themselves to the task. - 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter VI, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman,...
    • […] good heavens! dumplings for supper! One young fellow in a green box coat, addressed himself to these dumplings in a most direful manner. - 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 3”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale,...
  6. To direct one’s remarks (to someone).
    • 1701, Thomas Brown, Laconics, or New Maxims of State and Conversation, London: Thomas Hodgson, section 76, p. 103, In the Reign of King Charles the Second, a certain Worthy Divine at Whitehall, thus Address’d himself to...
    • There were ſeveral of his Prieſts and Lawyers preſent, (as I conjectured by their habits) who were commanded to addreſs themſelves to me, and I ſpoke to them in as many Languages as I had the leaſt ſmattering of, which...
    • He addressed himself directly to Miss Bennet, with a polite congratulation […] - 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter 11, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […],...
  7. To clothe or array; to dress.
    • Likewise Vincentius, and Petrus de Natalibus, and others your writers and recorders of fables could have told you that Tecla sometime addressed herself in man's apparel, and, had she not been forbidden by St Paul, would...

    Synonyms: beclothe dight put on accouter address apparel array attire clothe don garment dress enrobe equip invest robe slip on vest

  8. To direct, as words (to anyone or anything); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any audience).
    • though the young Heroe had addreſs’d his Prayers to him for his aſſiſtance - 1697, Virgil, “Dedication [of the Æneis]”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […],...
    • He addressed some portions of his remarks to his supporters, some to his opponents.
  9. To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to.
    • Are not your orders to address the senate? - 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 20:
    • The representatives of the nation in parliament, and the privy council, address the king - 1724, Jonathan Swift, “Drapier's Letters”, in 3:
    • Rimmer paused for no discernible reason, then yelled, equally inexplicably: 'Shut up!', wheeled round 180º, and appeared to be addressing a dartboard. - 1989, Grant Naylor, Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers:
  10. To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit.
    • He addressed a letter.
  11. To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo.

    Synonyms: romance put the moves on address beau bedear chase after court endear make a move (on) make love pitch woo solicit spark woo

  12. To consign or entrust to the care of another, as agent or factor.
    • The ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore.

Forms

addresses addressing addressed addrest

Derived

addressability addressable addressee addresser addressible address me addressment address me 🐘 address the ball misaddress overaddress preaddress readdress unaddress