message
/ˈmɛsɪdʒ
/noun
1A verbal, written, or recorded communication sent to or left for a recipient who cannot be contacted directly: if I’m not there leave a message on the answerphone...
- The messages are not sent directly to the recipient's phone, rather the sender and the recipient must subscribe to the service which provides a secret link for them to access the message.
- Text messaging is the cellphone technology that allows users to send and receive written messages through their phones.
- I even used birds to send my messages from here directly to Devlin.
Synonyms
communication, piece of information, news, word, note, memorandum, memo, email, posting, tweet, letter, line, missive, report, bulletin, communiqué, dispatch, intelligence, notification, announcement
1.1 (also mail message) An email or similar electronic communication: select an option to delete your mail messages...
- For example, when typing a mail message, or word processing the GPU can be throttled back to reduce component temperatures, and increase longevity.
- It was so nice to see your website right after I received a spam mail message from Acme Online Systems!
- The screen is captured and a new mail message launches in the default mail application.
1.2An electronic communication generated automatically by a computer program and displayed on a screen: an error message...
- Your browser will usually automatically generate a message when this occurs.
- You can set it up to automatically generate e-mail messages when certain alert conditions are met such as running out of stock on an item.
- Each piece of equipment in a computer network generates messages and events and errors - right?
1.3A communication from a prophet or preacher, believed to be inspired by God: Jesus and his followers were promulgating a specifically Judaic message for Judaic adherents...
- Those who believed the message he preached became not only good people, but good citizens and then good leaders.
- The recently urbanized underclasses are particularly susceptible to the messages of populist preachers.
- The message entrusted to the preacher must be proclaimed just as it was first delivered.
1.4US A television or radio advertisement: we’ll be back after these messages...
- These will be reinforced with similar messages on radio and television.
- Many have developed responsibility messages for television and radio.
- Brown adds that A.E. uses radio and television messages to promote its refrigerated yogurt products.
2A significant political, social, or moral point that is being conveyed by a film, speech, etc. a campaign to get the message about home security across...
- Can videogames convey social and political messages and still be a lot of fun?
- Most of that material, however, while interesting, is marginal to the political message of the film.
- Acclaimed for using a popular format to pass on the social message, the film had used the soap opera look to cash in on a large audience.
Synonyms
meaning, sense, import, idea;
point, thrust, gist, essence, spirit, content, subject (matter), substance, implication, tenor, drift, purport, intimation, theme, moral, lesson, precept
3Scottish & Irish An errand: he would run those interminable messages after school to the bookie
Synonyms
errand, task, job, commission, chore, mission;
shopping
3.1 (messages) Things bought on an errand; shopping.
verb [with object]
Send a message to (someone), especially by email: I was messaged by a Californian contact for some information (as noun messaging) the software package incorporates messaging, scheduling, and workflow functions...
- A few guys messaged me; ‘Nice profile and pics mate!’
- The night was kinda ruined earlier on when my friend - the one who got engaged stupidly early - messaged me to say that her bloke didn't want us to keep in touch.
- Drew messaged me yesterday morning while I was at work.
Phrases
get the message
send a message
Origin
Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin missus, past participle of mittere 'send'.
The root of message is a form of Latin mittere ‘to send’ that is the source of Mass and missile as well as of messenger (Middle English) and demise (Late Middle English). The phrase to shoot (or kill) the messenger, ‘to treat the bearer of bad news as if they were personally to blame for it’, is recorded only from the 1960s, but breaking bad news has always been a thankless task. The idea occurs at least twice in Shakespeare—in Coriolanus there is reference to beating the messenger—and the ancient Greek dramatist Sophocles expressed it as ‘No one loves the messenger who brings bad news.’
Rhymes
- ophiurid
- ophiuroid
- Ophiuroidea
- ophryon
- Ophrys
- ophthalmalgia
- ophthalmia
- ophthalmia neonatorum
- ophthalmic
- ophthalmic acid
- ophthalmic optician
- ophthalmist
- ophthalmite
- ophthalmitic
- ophthalmitis
- ophthalmo-
- ophthalmodynia
- ophthalmography
- ophthalmologic
- ophthalmological
- ophthalmologically
- ophthalmologist
- ophthalmology
- ophthalmometer
- ophthalmometric