send

IPA/send/
KK[sˈɛnd]IPA/send/

send — verb

  • sendpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • sendshe / she / it
  • sentpast simple
  • sending-ing form

1. to make a letter, package, message, or electronic item travel from where you are

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA1
Definition

to make a letter, package, message, or electronic item travel from where you are to another person or place

Example

Isabela sent a long email to her professor asking for an extension on the project.

send + something + to + someone — recipient after object

Lan sent her parents a postcard from Tokyo with a photo of Mount Fuji.

send + someone + something — double object pattern

Common collocations
  • send a message
  • send an email
  • send a letter
  • send a package
  • send by post
  • send by email
Synonyms
  • mail

    more specific to postal letters and packages; less common for electronic messages

  • forward

    means to send onward after receiving, not for the original sending

  • transmit

    more technical or formal, often used for signals or data

Antonyms
  • receive

    focuses on the arrival side of the exchange

  • keep

    to not send something

Grammar Patterns

send + something + to + someone

send + someone + something

send + something

send + for + someone/something

Usage Note

Often takes two objects: you can say 'send someone something' or 'send something to someone'. The pattern 'send + someone + something' (without 'to') is very common in everyday English: 'I'll send you the file.'

Common Mistakes

I will send the document to you by hand on Monday.
I will give you the document in person on Monday.
'send' implies the item travels through a channel (post, email, courier), not that you hand it directly to someone.
Please send me the report in attachment.
Please send me the report as an attachment.
when referring to email attachments, use 'as an attachment', not 'in attachment'.

2. to order or arrange for a person to travel to a particular place or carry out a

2.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to order or arrange for a person to travel to a particular place or carry out a task

Example

The hospital sent Amira to pick up medical supplies from the central pharmacy.

send + someone + to + do + something

Théo's manager sent him to the Taipei office for a three-month training program.

send + someone + to + [place]

Common collocations
  • send someone home
  • send someone away
  • send a representative
  • send troops
  • send experts
Synonyms
  • dispatch

    more formal; often for official or emergency tasks

  • assign

    emphasises giving a duty rather than the movement aspect

  • delegate

    suggests sending as a representative with authority

Antonyms
  • recall

    to order someone to return from where they were sent

  • keep

    to not send someone out

Grammar Patterns

send + someone + to + do + something

send + someone + to + place

send + someone + adverb (home, away, back)

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive voice. When the purpose is stated, use 'to + infinitive': 'send someone to check the equipment', not 'send someone for checking the equipment'. The expression 'send someone packing' is an informal idiom meaning to dismiss someone firmly.

Common Mistakes

My boss sent me to buying supplies for the office.
My boss sent me to buy supplies for the office.
after 'send someone to', use the base form of the verb, not the -ing form.
The company sent he to the conference.
The company sent him to the conference.
'send' takes an object pronoun (me, him, her, us, them), not a subject pronoun.

3. to make a person or thing travel suddenly across space, often from a force or im

3.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to make a person or thing travel suddenly across space, often from a force or impact, or to produce a particular emotional or physical response

Example

Esme accidentally dropped her phone and sent it sliding across the kitchen floor.

send + something + -ing — describes resulting motion

The sudden explosion sent everyone running toward the emergency exits.

Common collocations
  • send flying
  • send spinning
  • send crashing
  • send into a panic
  • send into fits of laughter
  • send shock waves
Synonyms
  • propel

    more formal; usually for physical motion through the air

  • drive

    suggests continuous force rather than a sudden motion

  • hurl

    implies throwing with great force, more violent

Antonyms
  • stop

    to halt motion or prevent something from happening

  • catch

    to intercept something in motion

Grammar Patterns

send + something + adverb/preposition (flying, spinning, crashing)

send + someone + into + (a panic, laughter, a rage)

send + something + through/across/over + place

Usage Note

Common in narrative and descriptive writing. The object is often followed by a present participle (sent things flying, sent people running) or a prepositional phrase (sent the crowd into a panic). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense does not involve intentional transfer — the motion is a result of force or impact.

Common Mistakes

The news sent her to cry.
The news sent her into a panic.
with emotional reactions, 'send into [state]' is the correct pattern, not 'send to [verb]'.
He sent the ball flying to the goalkeeper.' (when he meant he kicked it on purpose)
He sent the ball flying into the net.
this sense implies force/impact, not a deliberate gentle pass.
Phrasal verbs

send away

phrasal verb

To tell someone to leave or to order something to be delivered to a different place.

The principal sent away the noisy student from the classroom.

We sent away for a free sample of the new shampoo.

send down

phrasal verb

To cause something to fall or to order someone to a lower place; also, to expel a student from university.

The heavy rain sent down mudslides that blocked the road.

The university sent down two students for cheating on exams.

send for

phrasal verb

To ask for someone or something to come or be brought to you.

When the child got sick, Sara sent for the doctor.

We should send for a pizza since nobody wants to cook.

send forth

phrasal verb

To produce or emit something, such as light, sound, or a substance.

The factory sends forth thick smoke every morning.

The radio tower sends forth signals to nearby towns.

send in

phrasal verb

To submit something, such as a document or application, to an authority.

Please send in your report by Friday afternoon.

Diego sent in his college application last week.

send off

phrasal verb

To mail something or to say goodbye to someone who is leaving.

Maya sent off the package this morning.

We all went to the airport to send off our friend.

send on

phrasal verb

To forward something, such as a letter or email, to another address or person.

Please send on my mail to my new apartment.

Brian sent on the funny video to all his friends.

send out

phrasal verb

To distribute or dispatch something to many people or places.

The company sent out invitations for the annual party.

Did you send out the newsletter to all subscribers?

send out for

phrasal verb

To order food to be delivered to your home or workplace.

We are too tired to cook, so let's send out for Chinese.

The office staff sent out for sandwiches for lunch.

send up

phrasal verb

To cause something to rise into the air or to make fun of someone or something by imitating them.

The rocket sent up a bright flare into the night sky.

The comedian sent up the politician's speech perfectly.

Idioms

send somebody packing

idiom

To tell someone firmly and often rudely to leave.

When the salesman became pushy, Mia sent him packing.

Did the manager really send that reporter packing?

these things are sent to try us

idiom

Used to say that we should accept a difficult situation because we cannot change it.

The car broke down again, but these things are sent to try us.

After losing his job, Tom sighed, 'These things are sent to try us.'

send — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Send' is the most general word for making something go to another person or place — you can send letters, emails, packages, signals, or even a message through a friend. 'Mail' is more specific: it refers only to sending by postal service ('I mailed the package this morning'). 'Transmit' is more technical or formal, used mainly for signals, data, or broadcast content ('the device transmits data wirelessly'). 'Forward' means to send along something you have received, not to send something new ('please forward this email to your team'). 'Ship' is used for sending goods commercially, usually in bulk or by truck/boat ('the company ships products worldwide'). In everyday speech, 'send' covers most situations, while the other words narrow the method or purpose. For example: 'I sent her a message' works in every context, but 'I shipped her a message' would sound strange.

send ↗mail ↗transmit ↗forward ↗ship ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • send word
  • send one's regards
  • send a signal
  • send a request

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The verb 'send' comes from Old English 'sendan', meaning 'to cause to go, dispatch'. It traces further back to the Proto-Germanic root *sandijaną, which is related to the idea of a journey or a path — the same root appears in Old Norse 'senda' and Gothic 'sandjan'. This ancient sense of 'setting something on its way' has remained remarkably stable across more than a thousand years of English, though the methods of sending have expanded from physical messengers and packages to electronic data.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4a Noun