express mail
1
2.8
- noun
- /ɪkˈsprɛs meɪl/
:
correo exprés
- I received my important documents through express mail to ensure they arrived quickly.
- express mail and priority
- use express mail
Examples
-
He was relieved when his package sent by express mail arrived a day early.
-
A few days later, I received a care package via express mail.
Blog text (14) -
I'm gonna call my office in the morning and have them express mail some money.
-
He said express mail was too slow.
Fiction book (1991) -
Express mail.
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I'm writing from the post office, and this express mail costs more than I make in two hours at Wallmans, so these jeans better get to you tomorrow.
-
Well, John, it is the 21st century, and this week I received a package I bought on eBay via the USPS, sent express mail because the service and rate were better than available from FedEx, and processed my son's passport at the Post Office.
Blog text (32) -
Here are some other projects the firms are tackling: Walt, Dyer & James of Memphis, Tenn., has been tracking client costs for standard office procedures such as faxes, photocopies, and express mail service.
Academic text (1993) -
To meet the deadline, she decided to send the contract via express mail instead of regular mail.
Synonyms
251
3.2
A fast service or vehicle that stops only a few times
14
3.4
A service that delivers mail faster than usual for an extra fee
5
2.3
Letters and packages sent by plane to arrive faster
A way of sending letters and packages by airplane
How Fast
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a fast postal delivery service' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'express' (fast/direct) with 'mail' (postal items). This adjectival-noun composition is cross-linguistically common (e.g. correo exprés, courrier express) and follows standard English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Express mail comes from the idea of express meaning very fast and mail meaning letters or packages that get special, quick handling. Imagine a letter sent like a runner or on a fast vehicle so it arrives first, so express mail means a postal service for sending items 'fast' or 'urgent'.