From Middle English deliveren, from Anglo-Norman - and Old French delivrer, from Latin dē + līberō ("to set free").

• (RP) IPA: /dɪˈlɪvə(ɹ)/
• (America) IPA: /dɪˈlɪvɚ/

deliver (delivers, present participle delivering; simple past and past participle delivered)

1. To set free from restraint or danger.

   deliver a captive from the prison

   Synonyms: free, liberate, release

2. (process) Senses having to do with birth.
   1. To assist in the birth of.

      the doctor delivered the baby

   2. (formal, with "of") To assist (a female) in bearing, that is, in bringing forth (a child).

      the duchess was delivered of a son

      the doctor is expected to deliver her of a daughter tomorrow

      • c. 1386–1390, John Gower, edited by Reinhold Pauli, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best Manuscripts, volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Bell and Daldy […], published 1857, →OCLC ↗:

        Sche was delivered sauf and sone

   3. To give birth to.

      she delivered a baby boy yesterday

3. To free from or disburden of anything.
   • 1622, Henry Peacham, The Compleat Gentleman:

     Tully was long ere he could be delivered of a few verses, and those poor ones.

4. To bring or transport something to its destination.

   deliver a package

   deliver the mail

   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter X, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC ↗:

     Mr. Cooke had had a sloop yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered.

5. To hand over or surrender (someone or something) to another.

   deliver the thief to the police

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Genesis 40:13 ↗:

     Thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand.

   • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene iv]:

     The constables have delivered her over.

   • 1725, Homer, “Book IV”, in [Elijah Fenton], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC ↗:

     The exalted mind / All sense of woe delivers to the wind.

6. (intransitive, transitive, informal) To produce what is expected or required.
   • 2004, Detroit News, Detroit Pistons: Champions at Work, page 86:

     "You know, he plays great sometimes when he doesn't score," Brown said. "Tonight, with Rip (Richard Hamilton) struggling, we needed somebody to step up, and he really did. He really delivered."

7. To express in words or vocalizations, declare, utter, or vocalize.
   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC ↗:

     The stories did not seem to me to touch life. […] They left me with the impression of a well-delivered stereopticon lecture, with characters about as life-like as the shadows on the screen, and whisking on and off, at the mercy of the operator.

   deliver a speech

8. To give forth in action or exercise; to discharge.

   to deliver a blow

   • a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC ↗:

     shaking his head and delivering some show of tears

   • 1822, [Walter Scott], Peveril of the Peak. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC ↗:

     An uninstructed bowler […] thinks to attain the jack by delivering his bowl straight forward.

9. To discover; to show.
   • c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene vi]:

     I'll deliver myself your loyal servant.

10. (medicine) To administer a drug.

• (to set free) free, loose, rid, outbring
• (to express) utter, outbring
• (produce what was required) come through, come up with the goods

• French: délivrer
• German: erlösen, befreien
• Portuguese: libertar
• Spanish: liberar

• Portuguese: parir

• French: accoucher
• German: gebären
• Portuguese: parir, dar à luz
• Spanish: parir, dar a luz

• French: livrer
• German: liefern, abliefern
• Italian: consegnare
• Portuguese: entregar
• Russian: доставля́ть
• Spanish: entregar

• French: livrer, remettre
• Italian: riconsegnare
• Portuguese: entregar
• Spanish: entregar

• French: tenir ses promesses, tenir parole
• Portuguese: concretizar

• Portuguese: proferir

deliver

1. (rare) Capable, agile, or active.
   • 1562, George Cavendish, The Life of Cardinal Wolsey:

     Therefore my policy and advice shall be this: That about the dead time of the night, when our enemies be most quiet at rest, there shall issue from us a number of the most deliverest soldiers to assault their camp; who shall give the assault right secretly, even directly against the entry of the camp, which is almost invincible.

   • 1887, William Minto, The Mediation of Ralph Hardelot:

     "More skillful!" interrupted the host. "He is the most deliver at that exercise I have ever set eyes on."