Explanation at your level:
You use a machine to send a paper. You put the paper in the machine. You type a number. The machine sends the paper to another place. This is called faxing.
When you have a document, you can fax it to your boss. You need a fax machine and a phone line. It is a fast way to send a copy of a letter.
Faxing is a method of sending copies of documents. Although we use email more often now, many businesses still fax contracts because it is very secure and official.
To fax something is to transmit a facsimile. It remains a standard procedure in industries where physical signatures are required, despite the dominance of digital document sharing.
The verb 'to fax' represents a specific technological era. While technically a form of data transmission, it is distinguished by its reliance on telephony and its ability to replicate the exact visual layout of a document.
Etymologically derived from 'facsimile', the verb 'to fax' encapsulates the transition from analog to digital communication. It serves as a linguistic relic of the late 20th-century office culture, maintaining its utility in highly regulated, bureaucratic environments.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Fax means send via machine.
- Short for facsimile.
- Used in business.
- Still used today.
When we talk about faxing, we are referring to an older but still relevant way of sending documents. To faxer (often used as the verb 'to fax') is to use a machine to scan a paper and send that exact image to another machine elsewhere.
While email has largely replaced this, you will still find it in legal, medical, and government offices. It is a reliable way to send signed documents that need to look exactly like the original.
The word fax is actually a shortened form of the word facsimile, which comes from the Latin fac simile, meaning 'make similar'. It is all about creating an exact copy.
Believe it or not, the first fax machine was patented way back in 1843 by Alexander Bain, long before the telephone was even invented! It evolved through the 20th century to become a staple of every office by the 1980s.
You use this verb when you are dealing with physical paperwork. Common collocations include fax a document, fax a contract, or fax over the details.
In modern conversation, it is considered a bit old-fashioned. You might hear someone say, 'I'll fax it over to you,' which is a very common way to express the action in a business setting.
While there are no specific 'fax' idioms, we often use phrases like 'fax it over' as a standard request. Another is 'the fax is jammed', which is a common frustration in offices.
People also say 'fax me the details' as a shorthand for 'send me the information immediately'. It implies a sense of urgency.
The verb follows regular rules: fax, faxes, faxed, faxing. In the UK and US, the pronunciation is identical: /ˈfæksər/.
It rhymes with taxer, maxer, and axer. The stress is always on the first syllable.
Fun Fact
Fax is short for facsimile.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'tax-er'.
Sounds like 'tax-er'.
Common Errors
- mispronouncing the 'x'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Regular verbs
faxed
Examples by Level
I fax the paper.
I send the paper.
Simple present tense.
Please fax the form to me.
He faxed the letter yesterday.
She is faxing the report now.
Do you have a fax machine?
I need to fax this contract.
They faxed the results.
Can you fax it to the office?
We faxed the order.
I will fax the document as soon as I get to the office.
The secretary faxed the signed agreement to the client.
Is it possible to fax this from your home?
He spent the morning faxing various reports to the headquarters.
Please ensure you fax the confirmation page.
They prefer to fax sensitive documents.
I faxed the invoice to the accounting department.
She faxed the menu to the restaurant.
Despite the digital age, the firm continues to fax legal notices.
He faxed the blueprints over to the construction site.
I had to fax the medical records to the hospital.
Faxing the document ensures an immediate, physical copy.
She faxed the itinerary to the travel agent.
The machine is faxing the pages one by one.
They faxed the response to the inquiry.
Make sure to fax the receipt for tax purposes.
The lawyer insisted that we fax the original copy for verification.
Faxing the document provides a verifiable time-stamp of transmission.
He faxed the confidential memo through a secure line.
The system is currently faxing the batch of orders.
They faxed the architectural plans to the overseas office.
Faxing remains a legacy requirement for this department.
She faxed the signed affidavit to the court clerk.
We faxed the final draft before the deadline.
In the context of international litigation, they had to fax the notarized documents.
The archaic process of faxing is still mandated for these specific records.
He faxed the manuscript to the publisher as a backup measure.
Faxing the document serves as a secondary layer of confirmation.
The office faxed the blueprints to the site manager immediately.
They faxed the patient's history to the consulting physician.
Faxing the contract was the only way to ensure legal compliance.
She faxed the sketches to the design team in London.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"fax it over"
send it quickly
Just fax it over to me.
casualEasily Confused
similar sound
facts are truths, fax is a machine
I faxed the facts.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + fax + object
I faxed the report.
Word Family
Nouns
Related
How to Use It
3
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
You fax to a machine/number, not a person.
Tips
Memory Trick
Fax = Fast copy.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Facts are sent by fax.
Visual Association
A paper going through a machine.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to say 'I will fax it'.
Word Origin
Latin
Original meaning: make similar
Cultural Context
None
Common in 80s/90s offices.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
work
- fax it over
Conversation Starters
"Do you still use a fax machine?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you used a fax machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
1 questionsNo, it is used in law and medicine.
Test Yourself
I ___ the paper.
Fax is the verb for sending paper.
Score: /1
Summary
To fax is to send a document via a machine.
- Fax means send via machine.
- Short for facsimile.
- Used in business.
- Still used today.
Memory Trick
Fax = Fast copy.
Related Content
More work words
à distance
A2Remotely, from a distance; not in person or on site.
à durée déterminée
B1For a fixed or definite period; fixed-term.
à durée indéterminée
B1For an indefinite period; permanent (e.g., contract).
à la fin
A2At the end, at the conclusion of something.
à la journée
B1Daily, by the day.
à la semaine
B1Weekly, by the week.
à l'année
B1Annually, by the year.
à l'attention de
B1Directed to; for the attention of.
à l'avance
A2In advance; beforehand.
à l'issue de
A2At the end of, following; upon the conclusion of.
