Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AD-DRESS', v.t. [Fr. adresser; Sp. enderezar; It. dirizzare, to direct, to make straight. This is supposed to be from L. dirigo. See Dress.]

1. To prepare; to make suitable dispositions for. Turnus addressed his men to single fight. – Dryden. The archangel and the evil spirit addressing themselves for the combat. – Addison. [This sense is, I believe, obsolete or little used.]
2. To direct words or discourse; to apply to by words; as, to address a discourse to an assembly; to address the judges.
3. To direct in writing, as a letter; or to direct and transmit; as, he addressed a letter to the Speaker. Sometimes it is used with the reciprocal pronoun; as, he addressed himself to the Speaker, instead of, he addressed his discourse. The phrase is faulty; but less so than the following: To such I would address with this most affectionate petition. Young Turnus to the beauteous maid addrest. – Dryden. The latter is admissible in poetry, as an elliptical phrase.
4. To present an address, as a letter of thanks or congratulation, a petition, or a testimony of respect; as, the legislature addressed the President.
5. To court or make suit as a lover.
6. In commerce, to consign or intrust to the care of another, as agent or factor; as, the ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore.