courier
/ˈkʊriə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʊriər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈku̇r-ē-ər ˈkər-ē-, ˈkə-rē-/ (ame, mw) · /ˈkʊr.i.ər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʊr.i.ɚ/ (ame, ipa)
courier — noun
- couriersingular
- couriersplural
1. a person or a company that carries packages, documents, or messages from one pla
a person or a company that carries packages, documents, or messages from one place to another and delivers them, often in a short time
A courier picked up the parcel from Minho's office and delivered it before noon.
courier picks up and delivers — two-step action
The courier company Lakshmi works for handles over ten thousand packages every day.
collocation: courier company
Before email became widespread, banks relied on couriers to carry financial documents between branches overnight.
A diplomatic courier delivered the treaty documents from Tokyo to the minister's office.
Camila gave an urgent envelope to a motorcycle courier heading to the airport.
- messenger
focuses on the person carrying information, often on foot or bike; slightly old-fashioned
- delivery person
general term for anyone who delivers items; less specialised than courier
- carrier
broader term that includes postal services and freight companies; less specific about speed
用法筆記
This sense covers both individual messengers (bike couriers, diplomatic couriers) and large delivery companies (DHL, FedEx). The subject of the sentence can be either a person or a business name.
常見錯誤
2. someone whose job is to go on trips with tourists and assist them with informati
someone whose job is to go on trips with tourists and assist them with information, practical matters, and daily planning
The tour courier met the guests at the airport with welcome packs.
tour courier greets guests — typical first interaction
When Felix's flight was delayed, the courier called the hotel to save the dinner booking.
A good courier knows which local cafés are safe for tourists with food allergies.
Linh worked as a tour courier at Kyoto's temples, explaining the history of each site.
- tour guide
focuses more on showing sights and explaining history; less emphasis on practical help and care
- tour leader
often organises the group's itinerary; more managerial than a courier
- escort
general term for someone who accompanies a person or group; less specific to tourism
用法筆記
Common in British English. In American English, 'tour guide' or 'tour leader' is more frequently used for this role. This sense is distinct from sense 1 — the courier here travels with the group rather than delivering items.
常見錯誤
courier — verb
- courierpresent simple I / you / we / they
- couriers3rd person singular
- couriering-ing form
- courieredpast simple
1. to send a package or document to someone using a courier service so that it arri
to send a package or document to someone using a courier service so that it arrives quickly and safely
Rachid couriered the signed contract to the client so it would arrive before the deadline.
courier something to someone — standard pattern
You should courier the cake samples to keep them fresh for tomorrow's tasting.
Eleni couriered the package to her cousin in Tokyo instead of using regular post.
The clinic couriered the test results to the specialist within two hours of the appointment.
Adina's passport was couriered to the embassy and processed in just three working days.
- dispatch
more formal; implies sending someone or something somewhere for a purpose
- send express
emphasises speed over the method; less specific than 'courier'
- ship
broader term covering all transport methods; does not imply urgency
文法句型
courier + object + to + place/person
用法筆記
This verb is most common in business and official contexts. In everyday conversation, people often say 'send it by courier' instead of 'courier it,' especially in speech. The passive form ('was couriered') is very frequent.