send

Send is a verb with several core meanings in English. In its broad sense it means to cause something to move or be directed toward a recipient or destination, or to transmit something by a particular medium. Thus one can send a letter, a package, or a message; and one can send a signal, an instruction, or data to a device. In specialized contexts, “send” also carries more abstract meanings, such as to dispatch personnel or to cause a projectile to be released.

Etymology: The word comes from Old English sendan “to send, dispatch,” and is cognate with Dutch zenden and German senden. The core idea across the Germanic languages is to cause something to go on its way.

Usage: In everyday life, “send” covers postal delivery and electronic communication, including email and messaging apps. In logistics and commerce, it describes the act of shipping goods to a customer. In information technology and telecommunications, “send” denotes transmitting data or control information, and many programming languages and networking APIs include a send operation to deliver a payload to a receiver or socket.

Slang: In contemporary usage, “send” can mean to perform something with high energy or boldness, or to provoke a strong reaction. Phrases such as “send it” encourage a daring or extreme action and have become common in sports and online culture.

In sum, “send” is a versatile term spanning transport, communication, computing, and informal speech, with a common thread of directing something toward an endpoint.