receive

Definitions

re- (back) + -ceive (a French-worn form of Latin capere, "take") = "to take back." The image is of holding out your hands and taking in what comes toward you. From this physical taking-in grew every modern sense: receive a letter (take in what is sent), receive guests (take them into your home), receive an award (take what is given). The Latin capere softened into -ceive when it passed through French — the same shift that gave us deceive and perceive.

Why It Means This

Receive sits at the heart of the -ceive family. All three core members share the same gesture of "taking" but point it in different directions: re-ceive takes something back toward you, per-ceive takes it in thoroughly (through the senses), de-ceive takes the truth away from someone. Picturing two cupped hands catching what flies in makes the whole family click into place.

Common Collocations

• 1.receive a letter收到一封信
• 2.receive an award获得奖项
• 3.receive treatment接受治疗
• 4.receive guests接待客人
• 5.receive a warm welcome受到热烈欢迎

Example Sentences

• 1.

  She received a letter from an old friend.

• 2.

  The hotel received its guests with great warmth.

• 3.

  He received the award on behalf of the whole team.

• 4.

  Patients should receive treatment within the hour.

Easily Confused

receive vs accept — receive simply means something arrived in your hands, whether you wanted it or not (I received the news / a bill). accept means you actively agreed to take it (I accepted the offer / the gift). You can receive a gift but refuse to accept it.