“Sent” vs “sent off” vs “sent out”
When do we use one over another?
I sent a letter.
I sent off a letter.
I sent out a letter.
Here I found a similar topic but I am still confused.
sent = sent to one or more people
sent out = sent to multiple people
More people and multiple people mean the same to me. So how do we distinguish which one is the right one to use?
verbs adverbs phrasal-verbs
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked May 2 '13 at 18:15
lunarlunar
113113
add a comment |
When do we use one over another?
I sent a letter.
I sent off a letter.
I sent out a letter.
Here I found a similar topic but I am still confused.
sent = sent to one or more people
sent out = sent to multiple people
More people and multiple people mean the same to me. So how do we distinguish which one is the right one to use?
verbs adverbs phrasal-verbs
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked May 2 '13 at 18:15
lunarlunar
113113
3
Each is roughly interchangeable. There is little or no meaningful difference.
– Carolyn
May 2 '13 at 18:20
add a comment |
When do we use one over another?
I sent a letter.
I sent off a letter.
I sent out a letter.
Here I found a similar topic but I am still confused.
sent = sent to one or more people
sent out = sent to multiple people
More people and multiple people mean the same to me. So how do we distinguish which one is the right one to use?
verbs adverbs phrasal-verbs
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked May 2 '13 at 18:15
lunarlunar
113113
When do we use one over another?
I sent a letter.
I sent off a letter.
I sent out a letter.
Here I found a similar topic but I am still confused.
sent = sent to one or more people
sent out = sent to multiple people
More people and multiple people mean the same to me. So how do we distinguish which one is the right one to use?
verbs adverbs phrasal-verbs
verbs adverbs phrasal-verbs
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked May 2 '13 at 18:15
lunarlunar
113113
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked May 2 '13 at 18:15
lunarlunar
113113
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
1
asked May 2 '13 at 18:15
lunarlunar
113113
asked May 2 '13 at 18:15
lunarlunar
113113
asked May 2 '13 at 18:15
lunarlunar
113113
113113
3
Each is roughly interchangeable. There is little or no meaningful difference.
– Carolyn
May 2 '13 at 18:20
add a comment |
3
Each is roughly interchangeable. There is little or no meaningful difference.
– Carolyn
May 2 '13 at 18:20
3
3
Each is roughly interchangeable. There is little or no meaningful difference.
– Carolyn
May 2 '13 at 18:20
Each is roughly interchangeable. There is little or no meaningful difference.
– Carolyn
May 2 '13 at 18:20
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
The three to send, to send off, and to send out are distinguished by their motion and direction (actually and metaphorically).
To send is simply the action of causing something to go somewhere.
To Send off is the action of causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else.
To Send out is the action of causing something to go away from you.
From those literal uses we derive our metaphorical or analogical use.
For example, "I sent out a newsletter", because I am issuing the letter away myself to others. Or "we sent off the letter yesterday", because of the motion from ourselves to the recipient.
Others which describe a similar motion are:
To send away: the action of sending something to somewhere you are not.
To send along: the action of sending something in a particular direction, or along a particular path.
To send forth: the action of sending something toward somewhere
(edited to fix markdown)
answered May 3 '13 at 12:38
Ben MullikinBen Mullikin
30111
All of those are nicely separable. Send something off, send something out, send something away, send something along, send something forth.
– tchrist♦
May 3 '13 at 12:41
It’s an opinion and not criticism. Isn't "causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else." equal to "causing something to go away from you"? To me, the definitions don't really clarify the difference, not because the answer is incorrect, but because there’s not much difference between these phrasal verbs. Base on my poor understanding of English and my daily observations living in an English-speaker country, people create phrasal verbs as they talk. Assuming that some of those verbs contribute to clarify concepts, I wonder whether all of those in use are necessary.
– Rafael
Mar 13 at 5:02
add a comment |
We send an email. (talks about the process of sending).
We have revised the email several times, now it's time to send it off. (finally!)
We send out newsletters (to a group of people).
answered 10 mins ago
krupakrupa
1
New contributor
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The three to send, to send off, and to send out are distinguished by their motion and direction (actually and metaphorically).
To send is simply the action of causing something to go somewhere.
To Send off is the action of causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else.
To Send out is the action of causing something to go away from you.
From those literal uses we derive our metaphorical or analogical use.
For example, "I sent out a newsletter", because I am issuing the letter away myself to others. Or "we sent off the letter yesterday", because of the motion from ourselves to the recipient.
Others which describe a similar motion are:
To send away: the action of sending something to somewhere you are not.
To send along: the action of sending something in a particular direction, or along a particular path.
To send forth: the action of sending something toward somewhere
(edited to fix markdown)
answered May 3 '13 at 12:38
Ben MullikinBen Mullikin
30111
All of those are nicely separable. Send something off, send something out, send something away, send something along, send something forth.
– tchrist♦
May 3 '13 at 12:41
It’s an opinion and not criticism. Isn't "causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else." equal to "causing something to go away from you"? To me, the definitions don't really clarify the difference, not because the answer is incorrect, but because there’s not much difference between these phrasal verbs. Base on my poor understanding of English and my daily observations living in an English-speaker country, people create phrasal verbs as they talk. Assuming that some of those verbs contribute to clarify concepts, I wonder whether all of those in use are necessary.
– Rafael
Mar 13 at 5:02
add a comment |
The three to send, to send off, and to send out are distinguished by their motion and direction (actually and metaphorically).
To send is simply the action of causing something to go somewhere.
To Send off is the action of causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else.
To Send out is the action of causing something to go away from you.
From those literal uses we derive our metaphorical or analogical use.
For example, "I sent out a newsletter", because I am issuing the letter away myself to others. Or "we sent off the letter yesterday", because of the motion from ourselves to the recipient.
Others which describe a similar motion are:
To send away: the action of sending something to somewhere you are not.
To send along: the action of sending something in a particular direction, or along a particular path.
To send forth: the action of sending something toward somewhere
(edited to fix markdown)
answered May 3 '13 at 12:38
Ben MullikinBen Mullikin
30111
All of those are nicely separable. Send something off, send something out, send something away, send something along, send something forth.
– tchrist♦
May 3 '13 at 12:41
It’s an opinion and not criticism. Isn't "causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else." equal to "causing something to go away from you"? To me, the definitions don't really clarify the difference, not because the answer is incorrect, but because there’s not much difference between these phrasal verbs. Base on my poor understanding of English and my daily observations living in an English-speaker country, people create phrasal verbs as they talk. Assuming that some of those verbs contribute to clarify concepts, I wonder whether all of those in use are necessary.
– Rafael
Mar 13 at 5:02
add a comment |
The three to send, to send off, and to send out are distinguished by their motion and direction (actually and metaphorically).
To send is simply the action of causing something to go somewhere.
To Send off is the action of causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else.
To Send out is the action of causing something to go away from you.
From those literal uses we derive our metaphorical or analogical use.
For example, "I sent out a newsletter", because I am issuing the letter away myself to others. Or "we sent off the letter yesterday", because of the motion from ourselves to the recipient.
Others which describe a similar motion are:
To send away: the action of sending something to somewhere you are not.
To send along: the action of sending something in a particular direction, or along a particular path.
To send forth: the action of sending something toward somewhere
(edited to fix markdown)
answered May 3 '13 at 12:38
Ben MullikinBen Mullikin
30111
The three to send, to send off, and to send out are distinguished by their motion and direction (actually and metaphorically).
To send is simply the action of causing something to go somewhere.
To Send off is the action of causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else.
To Send out is the action of causing something to go away from you.
From those literal uses we derive our metaphorical or analogical use.
For example, "I sent out a newsletter", because I am issuing the letter away myself to others. Or "we sent off the letter yesterday", because of the motion from ourselves to the recipient.
Others which describe a similar motion are:
To send away: the action of sending something to somewhere you are not.
To send along: the action of sending something in a particular direction, or along a particular path.
To send forth: the action of sending something toward somewhere
(edited to fix markdown)
answered May 3 '13 at 12:38
Ben MullikinBen Mullikin
30111
answered May 3 '13 at 12:38
Ben MullikinBen Mullikin
30111
answered May 3 '13 at 12:38
Ben MullikinBen Mullikin
30111
answered May 3 '13 at 12:38
Ben MullikinBen Mullikin
30111
30111
All of those are nicely separable. Send something off, send something out, send something away, send something along, send something forth.
– tchrist♦
May 3 '13 at 12:41
It’s an opinion and not criticism. Isn't "causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else." equal to "causing something to go away from you"? To me, the definitions don't really clarify the difference, not because the answer is incorrect, but because there’s not much difference between these phrasal verbs. Base on my poor understanding of English and my daily observations living in an English-speaker country, people create phrasal verbs as they talk. Assuming that some of those verbs contribute to clarify concepts, I wonder whether all of those in use are necessary.
– Rafael
Mar 13 at 5:02
add a comment |
All of those are nicely separable. Send something off, send something out, send something away, send something along, send something forth.
– tchrist♦
May 3 '13 at 12:41
It’s an opinion and not criticism. Isn't "causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else." equal to "causing something to go away from you"? To me, the definitions don't really clarify the difference, not because the answer is incorrect, but because there’s not much difference between these phrasal verbs. Base on my poor understanding of English and my daily observations living in an English-speaker country, people create phrasal verbs as they talk. Assuming that some of those verbs contribute to clarify concepts, I wonder whether all of those in use are necessary.
– Rafael
Mar 13 at 5:02
All of those are nicely separable. Send something off, send something out, send something away, send something along, send something forth.
– tchrist♦
May 3 '13 at 12:41
All of those are nicely separable. Send something off, send something out, send something away, send something along, send something forth.
– tchrist♦
May 3 '13 at 12:41
It’s an opinion and not criticism. Isn't "causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else." equal to "causing something to go away from you"? To me, the definitions don't really clarify the difference, not because the answer is incorrect, but because there’s not much difference between these phrasal verbs. Base on my poor understanding of English and my daily observations living in an English-speaker country, people create phrasal verbs as they talk. Assuming that some of those verbs contribute to clarify concepts, I wonder whether all of those in use are necessary.
– Rafael
Mar 13 at 5:02
It’s an opinion and not criticism. Isn't "causing something to go somewhere from where you are to somewhere else." equal to "causing something to go away from you"? To me, the definitions don't really clarify the difference, not because the answer is incorrect, but because there’s not much difference between these phrasal verbs. Base on my poor understanding of English and my daily observations living in an English-speaker country, people create phrasal verbs as they talk. Assuming that some of those verbs contribute to clarify concepts, I wonder whether all of those in use are necessary.
– Rafael
Mar 13 at 5:02
add a comment |
We send an email. (talks about the process of sending).
We have revised the email several times, now it's time to send it off. (finally!)
We send out newsletters (to a group of people).
answered 10 mins ago
krupakrupa
1
New contributor
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
We send an email. (talks about the process of sending).
We have revised the email several times, now it's time to send it off. (finally!)
We send out newsletters (to a group of people).
answered 10 mins ago
krupakrupa
1
New contributor
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
We send an email. (talks about the process of sending).
We have revised the email several times, now it's time to send it off. (finally!)
We send out newsletters (to a group of people).
answered 10 mins ago
krupakrupa
1
New contributor
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
We send an email. (talks about the process of sending).
We have revised the email several times, now it's time to send it off. (finally!)
We send out newsletters (to a group of people).
answered 10 mins ago
krupakrupa
1
New contributor
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 10 mins ago
krupakrupa
1
New contributor
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 10 mins ago
krupakrupa
1
answered 10 mins ago
krupakrupa
1
1
New contributor
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
krupa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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3
Each is roughly interchangeable. There is little or no meaningful difference.
– Carolyn
May 2 '13 at 18:20