v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Received 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Receyven all in gree that God us sent. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our hearts receive your warnings. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The idea of solidity we receive by our touch. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To allow, as a custom, tradition, or the like; to give credence or acceptance to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Many other things there be which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots. Mark vii. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

They kindled a fire, and received us every one. Acts xxviii. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To admit; to take in; to hold; to contain; to have capacity for; to be able to take in. [ 1913 Webster ]

The brazen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings. 1 Kings viii. 64. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Against his will he can receive no harm. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To take from a thief, as goods known to be stolen. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Lawn Tennis) To bat back (the ball) when served. [ 1913 Webster ]

Receiving ship, one on board of which newly recruited sailors are received, and kept till drafted for service. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who, if we knew
What we receive, would either not accept
Life offered, or soon beg to lay it down. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To receive visitors; to be at home to receive calls; as, she receives on Tuesdays. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Lawn Tennis) To return, or bat back, the ball when served; as, it is your turn to receive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being received, accepted, or current; as, the receivedness of an opinion. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. receveur. ] 1. One who takes or receives in any manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A person appointed, ordinarily by a court, to receive, and hold in trust, money or other property which is the subject of litigation, pending the suit; a person appointed to take charge of the estate and effects of a corporation, and to do other acts necessary to winding up its affairs, in certain cases. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. One who takes or buys stolen goods from a thief, knowing them to be stolen. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Chem.) (a) A vessel connected with an alembic, a retort, or the like, for receiving and condensing the product of distillation. (b) A vessel for receiving and containing gases. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Pneumatics) The glass vessel in which the vacuum is produced, and the objects of experiment are put, in experiments with an air pump. Cf. Bell jar, and see Illust. of Air pump. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Steam Engine) (a) A vessel for receiving the exhaust steam from the high-pressure cylinder before it enters the low-pressure cylinder, in a compound engine. (b) A capacious vessel for receiving steam from a distant boiler, and supplying it dry to an engine. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. That portion of a telephonic apparatus, or similar system, at which the message is received and made audible; -- opposed to transmitter. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Firearms) In portable breech-loading firearms, the steel frame screwed to the breech end of the barrel, which receives the bolt or block, gives means of securing for firing, facilitates loading, and holds the ejector, cut-off, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Exhausted receiver (Physics), a receiver, as that used with the air pump, from which the air has been withdrawn; a vessel the interior of which is a more or less complete vacuum. [ 1913 Webster ]

An acknowledgement of indebtedness made by a receiver under order of court to obtain funds for the preservation of the assets held by him, as for operating a railroad. Receivers' certificates are ordinarily a first lien on the assets, prior to that of bonds or other securities. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. The state or office of a receiver. [ 1913 Webster ]