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mailW3S3 n [U] [Sense: 1-3; Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: male 'bag']
[Sense: 4; Date: 1200-1300; Language: French; Origin: maille, from Latin macula 'spot, woven threads']
1. the letters and packages that are delivered to you:▬ She's been reading my private mail.▬ When he got to the office he found a mountain of mail waiting for him.▬ He promised to forward my mail to my new address. (=send it from my old home or office) ▬ He gets sacks of fan mail . (=letters from people who admire him and are his fans)
hate mail (=letters from people saying that they hate you)
2. especially AmE the system of collecting and delivering letters and packages: British Equivalent: post▬ The mail here's really slow and unreliable.▬ The product will be sold mainly through the mail.
in the mail▬ I'll put the check in the mail tomorrow.
by mail▬ Did you send the document by mail?
registered/express/first-class etc mail ▬ I sent my application by registered mail.▬ Most reports are sent via internal mail (=a system of sending documents to people inside the same organization) .
3. messages that are sent and received on a computer: = email▬ You should always check your incoming mail (=messages that you receive) every day.▬ Please read the mail message for information on the error.
4. armour made of small pieces of metal, worn by soldiers in the Middle Ages: ▬ > voice mail
WORD FOCUS: mail
1. things that people send: letter, postcard, package also parcel (BrE), junk mail
2. ways of sending mail: first class限時專送/second class平信(英國) (BrE), airmail, surface mail平信, special delivery
3. the person who delivers your mail: postman/postwoman (BrE), mailman (AmE), letter carrier (AmE)
4. the place where you buy stamps, send letters and packages etc: post office
5. the place where you put letters and packages: postbox (BrE) mailbox (AmE)
6. the place where you receive letters and packages: letterbox (BrE) mailbox (AmE)
mail 2 S3 v [T] especially AmE
1. to send a letter or package to someone: British Equivalent: post
mail sth to sb▬ The weekly newsletter is mailed to women all over the country.
2. to send a document to someone using a computer: = email
mail sth to sb▬ Can you mail it to me as an attachment?
mail out [mail sth ≠ out] phr v
to send letters, packages etc to a lot of people at the same time＝ send out▬ The department has just mailed out 300,000 notices.
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