send

To make something (such as an object or message) go from one place to another (or to someone).

Noun

  1. An operation in which data is transmitted.
    • In the sonification of the PDE code, notes are scattered throughout a wide pitch range, and sends and receives are relatively balanced; although in the beginning of the application there are bursts of sends […] - 1992,...
  2. An icon (usually on a computer screen and labeled with the word "Send") on which one clicks (with a mouse or its equivalent) or taps to transmit an email or other electronic message.
    • Good thing I didn't hit send on that resume; I just noticed a bad typo.
  3. Alternative form of scend.
    • thus we drifted, steadily trending with the send of each giant surge further and deeper into the icy regions of the south-west - 1877, William Clark Russell, The Frozen Pirate:
    • the send of the sea - 1858 October 16, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Courtship of Miles Standish”, in The Courtship of Miles Standish, and Other Poems, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC:
    • The send of the sea was driving the boat's head round to starboard. - 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
  4. A messenger, especially one sent to fetch the bride.
  5. A callout or diss usually aimed at a specific person, often in the form of a diss track.
    • Why you're another bird that's fat again. No competition that's, that's the send. - 2017 November 7, “Courtney Jade Reply (Freestyle)”performed by Soph Aspin:
  6. A successful ascent of a sport climbing route.

Origin

From Middle English senden, from Old English sendan (“to send, cause to go”), from Proto-West Germanic *sandijan, from Proto-Germanic *sandijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sont-eye- (“to cause to go”), causative of *sent- (“to walk, travel”). The noun derives from the verb. Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian seende (“to send”), Dutch zenden (“to send”), German senden (“to send”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål sende (“to send”), Faroese, Icelandic, and Norwegian Nynorsk senda (“to send”), Swedish sända (“to send”). Related also to Old English sand, sond (“a sending, mission, message”). See also sith.

Forms

sends Send

Derived

hit send

Verb

  1. To make something (such as an object or message) go from one place to another (or to someone).
    • Every day at two o'clock, he sends his secretary out to buy him a coffee.
    • She sends me a letter every month.
    • Some hooligan sent a brick flying through the window, and the bang sent us running out of the building.
  2. To get one going; move to excitement or rapture; to delight or thrill.
    • I don't know what it is, but this music really sends me.
    • The train had an excellent whistle which sent me, just as Sinatra sends the bobby-sockers. - 1947, Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks, Clarke, Irwin & Co., page 183:
    • Darling you send me / I know you send me - 1957, Sam Cooke, You Send Me:

    Synonyms: excite animate awaken electrify enflame enkindle enthrill exagitate exhilarate exsuscitate fillip fire fire the blood galvanize gin up ignite inflame intoxicate kindle quicken rouse send set fire to set on fire

  3. To amuse greatly or otherwise stun by absurdity.
    • In news that has absolutely sent me this spooky season, the owners of the literal Amityville Horror House (yep, *that* one with all the murders) have taken it upon themselves to decorate for Halloween. - 2020 October...
    • [see title] - 2025 November 21, Krista Torres, “The Way These 16 Hilarious Signs Instantly Cured My Bad Mood Is Sending Me 😂”, in BuzzFeed:
  4. To bring to a certain condition, to drive.
    • “I suppose,” blurted Clara suddenly, “she wants a man.” The other two were silent for a few moments. “But it’s the loneliness sends her cracked,” said Paul. - 1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 9”, in Sons and...
  5. To dispatch an agent or messenger to find and return with a specified person or thing.
    • Seeing how ill she was, we sent for a doctor at once.
    • See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Kings vi:32:

    Synonyms: call

  6. To cause to be or to happen; to bring; bring about.
    • God send him well! - c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
    • That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version),...
    • Let’s be going with all my heart. God keep you all, Gentlemen, and send you meet this day with another Bitch-Otter, and kill her merrily, and all her young ones too. - 1668, Izaak Walton, “Observations of the Otter and...

    Synonyms: bring about bring to pass set up

    1. (archaic, of a blessing or reward) To bestow; to grant.

    2. (archaic, of a curse or punishment) To inflict; to visit.

      • The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 28:20:
      • Vague notions of this kind still widely prevail, and great numbers regard diseases as things that come arbitrarily, or are "sent" by Divine Providence as judgments or punishments for sins. - 1884, Thomas Henry Huxley,...

      Synonyms: bring about bring to pass set up

  7. To pitch.
  8. To climb a route without falling.
    • She finally sent the 12a after hours of failed attempts.
  9. To pursue (a course of action) committedly, enthusiastically, and often recklessly; go for.
    • There is often brilliance in just saying screw it. Acting on intuition. Following the gut. Just doing it. Sending it and seeing what happens. - 2024 January 29, @JeffSullivan__, Twitter:
    • Why is my first instinct Spain here? Like if I was playing two seconds I would've just instant-sent Spain on this. But I think it―there's a part of me that thought it could've been Italy. But, I don't really know. -...
  10. To care.
  11. To call out or diss a specific person in a diss track.
    • But if you want beef, it's war. I'll rip you to shreds and send once more[…]And you think you can send for Aspin? Sort it, stop gassing. - 2017 November 7, “Courtney Jade Reply (Freestyle)”performed by Soph Aspin:
  12. To give (someone) a lift, to drive (someone) to another place.
    • […] After closing the door, I shifted to the extreme right and sat directly behind the taxi driver. I told the driver to send me to Pasir Ris by saying "Pasir Ris Dr 12", bus stop" […] - 2001 October 15, MPH Rubin...

Forms

sends sending sent sended no-table-tags glossary send sendest sentest sendeth -

Derived

autosend besend downsend foresend forsend forthsend full send GiveSendGo insend instasend missend offsend onsend outsend oversend resend sendable send about one's business send a boy to do a man's job send a message send around send a shiver down someone's spine send away send away for