deliver

/dɪˈlɪvə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈlɪvər/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈli-vər dē-/ (ame, mw)

deliver — verb

  • deliverpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • delivershe / she / it
  • deliveredpast simple
  • delivering-ing form

1. to bring items such as packages, letters, or food to a person or place that expe

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to bring items such as packages, letters, or food to a person or place that expects or has ordered them.

例句

The courier delivered the package to our office just before lunch.

deliver + noun + to + noun

Our mail is delivered by Kevin, our regular carrier, around eleven each weekday morning.

passive: be delivered + by agent

同義詞
  • bring

    less specific; does not imply a destination or order

  • ship

    focuses on sending via transport carrier, often over distance

  • dispatch

    more formal, emphasises sending out rather than arrival

反義詞
  • collect

    the recipient goes to get the item instead

  • pick up

    informal, opposite of dropping off

文法句型

deliver + noun + to + noun/pronoun

deliver to + noun (intransitive)

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive ('the parcel was delivered'). The recipient requires the preposition 'to' — 'deliver something to someone,' never 'deliver someone something.'

常見錯誤

❌The postman delivered me the letter.
✅The postman delivered the letter to me.
💡'Deliver' does not take a double-object structure like 'give me the letter'; the recipient always needs 'to.'

2. to present spoken words to an audience, issue a formal judgment, or send somethi

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to present spoken words to an audience, issue a formal judgment, or send something such as a ball toward an intended target.

例句

The mayor delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the new library.

deliver + speech

The pitcher wound up and delivered a fastball straight over the plate.

deliver + ball (sports)

同義詞
  • give

    more general and less formal for speeches or performances

  • present

    emphasises the public or audience-facing aspect

  • throw

    only covers the aiming-sports meaning

反義詞
  • withhold

    to deliberately not give information or a statement

文法句型

deliver + noun (speech / verdict / throw)

用法筆記

The object is typically a planned or formal utterance (speech, lecture, verdict, sermon) or a thrown object in sports (ball, pitch). For informal conversation, 'give' is more natural than 'deliver.'

常見錯誤

❌He delivered a laugh when she told the joke.
✅He let out a laugh when she told the joke.
💡'Deliver' is used for planned or formal utterances, not for spontaneous reactions.

3. to carry out a previous commitment or pledge that you made, particularly when ot

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to carry out a previous commitment or pledge that you made, particularly when other people are relying on you to follow through.

例句

The company promised to cut emissions and has now delivered on that pledge.

deliver on + promise/pledge

The new government failed to deliver the tax cuts it had promised during the election campaign.

同義詞
  • fulfill

    more formal; focuses on meeting an obligation

  • keep

    used in 'keep a promise'; more informal than 'deliver on'

  • come through

    informal phrasal verb; 'come through for someone'

反義詞
  • break

    as in 'break a promise' — fail to keep a commitment

  • renege

    formal, legal: to go back on a promise or agreement

文法句型

deliver + noun (results / promise)

deliver on + noun (promise / commitment)

用法筆記

Often used without an object when the commitment is clear from context ('we promised results, and we delivered'). The preposition 'on' introduces the specific promise or commitment.

常見錯誤

❌She delivered on her homework before class.
✅She finished her homework before class.
💡'Deliver on' is used for significant commitments or promises, not for routine daily tasks.

4. to produce a level of quality, value, or performance that meets what people gene

4.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to produce a level of quality, value, or performance that meets what people generally want or expect, without referring to a specific prior promise.

例句

The new smartphone delivers excellent battery life and a sharp display.

deliver + noun (product feature)

This training course delivers practical skills that students can use straight away.

同義詞
  • provide

    more neutral; does not carry the connotation of meeting expectations

  • offer

    suggests availability rather than assured quality

  • produce

    focuses on the output itself rather than meeting expectations

反義詞

文法句型

deliver + noun (quality / value / results)

deliver (intransitive — produce what is expected)

用法筆記

The subject is usually a product, service, system, or experience. Unlike sense 3, no specific promise was made beforehand — the focus is on general quality or performance that satisfies users.

常見錯誤

❌The coffee shop across the street delivers good coffee.' (ambiguous — could mean sense 1).
✅The coffee shop delivers a great atmosphere and friendly service.
💡Sense 4 is about overall quality/experience, not physically bringing items.

5. to be the mother of a newborn child through labour; or, as a doctor or midwife,

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

to be the mother of a newborn child through labour; or, as a doctor or midwife, to assist a woman in labour as her child is born.

例句

Lucía delivered a healthy baby boy at the local hospital on Tuesday morning.

mother delivers baby (give birth)

Dr. Patel has delivered more than a thousand babies over her twenty-year career.

medical professional delivers baby (assist birth)

同義詞
  • give birth to

    used only for the mother; requires 'to' ('gave birth to a son')

  • have

    informal ('she had a baby'); does not specify the act of labour

文法句型

deliver + noun (baby)

deliver (a mother delivers her baby / a doctor delivers a baby)

用法筆記

The same verb is used whether the mother is the subject ('she delivered a baby') or the medical professional is the subject ('the doctor delivered the baby'). Context tells you who gave birth and who assisted.

常見錯誤

❌She was delivered at the city hospital.' (ambiguous — sounds like she was rescued).
✅She delivered her baby at the city hospital.
💡Include 'baby' as the object to make the meaning clear.

6. to free someone from a harmful, difficult, or threatening situation, often in a

6.動詞及物C1
釋義

to free someone from a harmful, difficult, or threatening situation, often in a formal or solemn context.

例句

The soldiers delivered the hostages from the building where they were being held.

deliver + someone + from + place

A local nonprofit delivered the children from poverty by providing education and meals.

同義詞
  • rescue

    more common and natural for emergency situations

  • save

    the most general word; covers physical, emotional, and spiritual rescue

  • free

    focuses on removing constraints or captivity

反義詞
  • capture

    to take someone into custody or control

  • imprison

    to put and keep in a confined space

文法句型

deliver + noun + from + noun

用法筆記

Common in religious and literary contexts ('deliver us from evil'). For everyday rescue scenarios, 'save' or 'rescue' is more natural than 'deliver.'

常見錯誤

❌The lifeguard delivered the drowning swimmer.
✅The lifeguard rescued the drowning swimmer.
💡'Rescue' or 'save' is the everyday word for physical emergencies; 'deliver' sounds overly formal or old-fashioned here.