Definition of "address" in English

noun

1. Direction.

2. Preparation.

verb

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To prepare oneself.

2. (intransitive, obsolete) To direct speech.

3. (transitive, obsolete) To aim; to direct.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To prepare or make ready.

5. (transitive, reflexive) To prepare oneself; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.

6. (reflexive) To direct one’s remarks (to someone).

   • 1701, Thomas Brown, Laconics, or New Maxims of State and Conversation, London: Thomas Hodgson, section 76, p. 103, In the Reign of King Charles the Second, a certain Worthy Divine at Whitehall, thus Address’d himself to the Auditory at the conclusion of his Sermon.

7. (transitive, archaic) To clothe or array; to dress.

8. (transitive) To direct, as words (to anyone or anything); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any audience).

   • He addressed some portions of his remarks to his supporters, some to his opponents.

9. (transitive) To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to.

10. (transitive) To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit.

    • He addressed a letter.

11. (transitive) To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo.

12. (transitive) To consign or entrust to the care of another, as agent or factor.

    • The ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore.

13. (transitive) To address oneself to; to prepare oneself for; to apply oneself to; to direct one's speech, discourse or efforts to.

14. (transitive, formal) To direct attention towards a problem or obstacle, in an attempt to resolve it.

15. (transitive, computing) To refer to a location in computer memory.

16. (transitive, golf, Scotland) To get ready to hit (the ball on the tee).