shipment
noun
Shipment — the act of sending goods onward to their destination
Definition
The act of sending off something
In depth
Shipment, in this sense, names the act of sending something off, specifically goods or cargo transported from one location to another, whether by ship, truck, rail, or air. The word also names, distinctly, the actual collection of goods being transported, the physical cargo itself rather than merely the act of sending it.
Origin
The word derives from 'ship,' from Old English scip, with the added suffix '-ment' indicating the action or result of a process. Though originally tied specifically to transport by sea, the word has long since broadened to describe goods sent by any method of transport, the maritime origin now largely forgotten in everyday commercial use.
Usage examples
"Shipment of the new inventory was delayed by nearly two weeks due to unexpected customs complications."
"The damaged shipment arrived with several items missing entirely from the manifest."
"Tracking the shipment had become, for the anxious customer, something close to an obsessive daily ritual."
How to use it
Shipment is plain, functional vocabulary common in business, logistics, and commerce writing, useful for describing both the process of sending goods and the goods themselves, with context usually clarifying which sense is intended.
Related concepts
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