Definition

Noun: A document issued by a carrier (such as a shipping company, airline, or trucking firm) that serves as a receipt for the goods and a contract of carriage. It details the shipment's origin, destination, route, and the terms of delivery, but it is not a document of title to the goods.

Usage

The waybill is a critical document in logistics and transport. It accompanies the goods and provides essential information for handlers and the consignee (receiver). Unlike a bill of lading, it is typically non-negotiable, meaning the ownership of the goods cannot be transferred by endorsing the document.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The truck driver handed the waybill to the warehouse manager upon delivery.
  • Please ensure the waybill number is clearly marked on all packages.
  • The airline lost the package, but the waybill helped trace its last known location.

Advanced Usage

• "To consign a waybill": To prepare and issue a waybill for a shipment.
  • The freight forwarder will consign the waybill once the cargo is loaded.
• "Waybill of lading": Sometimes used interchangeably, though a bill of lading has specific legal differences as a title document.
  • For this domestic shipment, a simple waybill suffices instead of a full bill of lading.

Variants and Related Words

• Air waybill (AWB) (n): A specific type of waybill used for air freight shipments.
  • The international shipment required an air waybill.
• Sea waybill (n): A non-negotiable document used for sea freight, similar to a waybill.
• Consignment note (n): A term often synonymous with waybill, commonly used in road and rail transport within certain regions.

Synonyms

• Shipping receipt: A document acknowledging receipt of goods for transport.
• Consignment note: A document listing shipped goods and delivery instructions (common in British English).
• Freight bill: A document detailing charges for transportation, often containing similar information.

Related Phrases

• "To waybill goods" (verb phrase, less common): The act of preparing or issuing a waybill for goods.
  • We need to waybill this pallet before it leaves the dock.
• "Against the waybill": Referring to actions taken based on the information in the waybill.
  • The cargo was released against the waybill and the receiver's identification.

Related Idioms

(No common idioms are directly based on the word "waybill." It is primarily a technical term in trade and logistics.)

Noun

1. a receipt given by the carrier to the shipper acknowledging receipt of the goods being shipped and specifying the terms of delivery