bill of lading
Preserved but no longer current.
A document signed by the master of a ship in acknowledgment of goods laden m his vessel. In this document he binds himself to deliver the articles in good condition to the persons named in the bill, certain exceptions being duly provided for. These bills are generally in triplicate — one for the sender, one for the receiver, and one for the master of the vessel.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bill of lading” mean?
A document signed by the master of a ship in acknowledgment of goods laden m his vessel. In this document he binds himself to deliver the articles in good condition to the persons named in the bill, certain exceptions being duly provided for. These bills are generally in triplicate — one for the sender, one for the receiver, and one for the master of the vessel.
Is “bill of lading” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.