Conceive, Perceive, Receive or Deceive?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Let's talk about these four different verbs that end in -eive.

CONCEIVE SOMETHING (verb) Formal

CONCEPT (noun)

A. When you conceive an idea, a design, a project or a plan, you work it out in your head. You imagine and visualize it.

"She conceived the idea of writing a biography when she retired."

"He conceived the perfect plan to kill him."

B. You can say that you can't conceive of something happening or you can't conceive that something happens when it's hard for you to believe or imagine it.

"I could not conceive that he would do such a foolish thing."

"I can't conceive that one can master a foreign language in less than a year."

"You had better not cook any vegetarian food. He can't conceive of a meal without meat."

"Young generations can't conceive of living without a smartphone."

"I simply can't conceive why you did that."

C. When women are unable to conceive a child, they have difficulty becoming pregnant.

So in this sense, conceive means "get pregnant". The process of fertilization is called conception.

"How soon after sex can I conceive?"

"Your weight matters when you’re trying to conceive."

"Vegan women should eat meat if trying to conceive."

"Infertility is when a couple cannot conceive despite having regular unprotected sex."

"About 12% to 15% of couples are unable to conceive after trying to conceive for one year."

CONCEPT (noun)

A concept is a general or an abstract idea.

"I haven't grasped the concept."

"Yes, this is the general concept."

"The concept of beauty is misunderstood."

PERCEIVE (verb)

PERCEPTION (noun)

PERCEPTIBLE (adjective)

A. You perceive the world through your five senses. To perceive is to recognize and detect something using your senses.

"Can you perceive this optical illusion?"

"I perceived a pitch-black figure moving in the house."

"I perceived a note of sadness in her voice."

"How people perceive themselves actually affects their performance."

B. There is another meaning as well. To perceive is to think of, understand or view something in a certain way.

"Other people perceive you differently than you perceive yourself."

"One in five people perceive women as inferior to men."

"Our brain affects the way we perceive movies."

PERCEPTION (noun)

Your perception of something is the way you understand something or someone, using your senses.

"What's your perception of the situation/matter?"

"My perception of the problem/issue/situation is quite different."

"A part of the brain controls our perception of pain."

"Each individual has his or her own perception of reality." 

"Scientists have discovered that time-sensitive neurons in the brain could wear out and distort our perception of time."

The public's or people's perception of something is the opinion or belief they hold according to what what they see.

"People's perception of younger generations has changed radically."

"People's perception of me changed in a flash."

"They are trying to change the population's perception of the crisis."

Your self-perception is the idea you have about yourself and your traits. 

"Our self-perception can influence our judgment, mood, and behaviors."

PERCEPTIBLE (adjective)

Something perceptible can be easily detected. It's noticeable. A sound, flavor, smile and light are perceptible when they can be perceived by the senses.

"There has been a perceptible change in the weather." (You see it.)

"The sound suddenly became perceptible." (You could hear it.)

"There is a perceptible difference between the two products." (You can see it.)

RECEIVE (verb) Formal 

RECEPTION (noun)

RECEIPT (noun)

A. When someone gives you something and you take it, you receive it. We can receive letters, messages, packages, emails, notifications, payments and much more. In everyday English, people use the verb "get".

"I received professional advice on how to handle stress."

"We received valuable information from a reliable source."

"All students should have a chance to receive higher education."

"I haven't received a reply to my message."

"His new book received raved reviews."

"She received a huge bouquet of white carnations and roses from a secret admirer."

B. When your TV and radio receive signals, they convert them into pictures and sounds. The act of receiving radio, television, or other signals is called reception.

"TV signals from the satellite are received on the earth's surface by dish antennas." 

"Our cell phones receive signals from the cell towers."

"If you want to get better cell reception in your home, get near a window or buy a signal booster."

"Most cars have good FM radio reception."

"I can't get any reception in this area."

"There's no reception here."

C. When you receive visitors, you greet and welcome them upon arrival. The act of welcoming someone is called reception. You are probably familiar with this term from the hotel reception, the area where guests go first when they arrive. We check in and out at the reception desk.

"We won't receive visitors dressed informally."

"She stood by the door to receive her guests as they arrived."

"A concierge is an employee who receives guests at a hotel."

"Meet me in reception in ten minutes."

"Don't forget to leave the keys at the reception desk."

RECEIPT (noun)

When you pay for something, you get a receipt.

"Could I have a receipt, please?'

"We can return the item if you show us the receipt."

DECEIVE (verb)

DECEPTION (noun)

DECEIT (noun)

DECEITFUL (adjective)   Person

DECEPTIVE (adjective)   Things

A. When you deceive someone who trusts you, you do it to gain an advantage. You can deceive and be deceived in many ways. Someone can make you believe that something isn't true. Put differently, they trick and mislead you. This dishonest act is called deception.

"All magicians employ deception."

"I was deceived by her appearance."

"Some journalists intentionally deceive their audiences by fabricating sources or inventing news stories."

"This company deceived consumers into paying for tax services that should have been free."

"You can't pass your exams without studying hard, so don't deceive yourself."

"Is that your friend over there, or are my eyes deceiving me?"

"They used deception to win."

"The President has been accused of secrecy and deception."

B. In a relationship, when you're unfaithful to your spouse or partner, you are deceiving them. 

                          "Both men and women sometimes deceive their partners for many reasons." 

"Can't you see he/she is deceiving you?"

"Avoiding eye contact and offering a few details might be signs of deception" 

DECEIT (noun)

"Deceit" is another noun with the same meaning as "deception", but "deception" doesn't involve physical acts. "Deception" is a general and neutral term. "Deceit" is purely malicious.

"He used deceit to get promoted."

"We got involved in a web of deceit."

DECEITFUL (adjective)

DECEPTIVE (adjective) 

People are deceitful when they tell lies and things are deceptive when they try to misguide you. 

Marketing, advertising, statements and results can be deceptive. 

"Appearances/looks can be deceptive." 

"Deceptive ads harm consumers by causing them to have false beliefs about the nature of the products being advertised."

"No one can trust a deceitful leader." (Deceitful describes a person.)

"He made all that money by being deceitful."

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