mail

verb
1. (especially NAmE) to send sth to sb using the postal system
• ~ sth (to sb/sth) Don't forget to mail that letter to your mother.
• ~ sb sth Don't forget to mail your mother that letter.

• ~ sb/sth The company intends to mail 50 000 households in the area.

2. (BrE) to send a message to sb by email
• ~ sb Please mail us at the following email address.
• ~ sth (to sb/sth) The virus mails itself forward to everyone in your address book.
• ~ sb sth Can you mail me that document you mentioned?
Verb forms:

 
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘travelling bag’): from Old French male ‘wallet’, of West Germanic origin. The sense “by post” dates from the mid 17th cent.  
Thesaurus:
mail verb T (especially AmE)
• Don't forget to mail that letter.
send • • forward • • send sth on • |BrE post • |formal, especially business dispatch •
mail/send/forward/send sth on/post/dispatch sth to sb
mail/send/forward/send on/post/dispatch a letter
mail/send/post a/an invitation/package/parcel/postcard/reply  
British/American:
post / mail
Nouns
In BrE the official system used for sending and delivering letters, parcels/packages, etc. is usually called the post. In NAmE it is usually called the mail: ▪ I’ll put an application form in the post/mail for you today. ◊ ▪ Send your fee by post/mail to this address. Mail is sometimes used in BrE in such expressions as ▪ the Royal Mail. Post occurs in NAmE in such expressions as ▪ the US Postal Service.
In BrE post is also used to mean the letters, parcels/packages, etc. that are delivered to you. Mail is the usual word in NAmE and is sometimes also used in BrE: ▪ Was there any post/mail this morning? ◊ ▪ I sat down to open my post/mail. Verbs
Compare: ▪ I’ll post the letter when I go out. (BrE) and ▪ I’ll mail the letter when I go out. (NAmE)Compounds
Note these words: postman (BrE), mailman/mail carrier (both NAmE); postbox (BrE), mailbox (NAmE) Some compounds are used in both BrE and NAmE: post office, postcard, mail order. 
Example Bank:
• Mailing out information can be very expensive.
• The brochures are mailed direct to members.

• Don't forget to mail that letter.

See also: post