Adjacent Words

Letter definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

LET'TER, n. [from let.]
1. One who permits.
2. One who retards or hinders.
3. One who gives vent; as a blood-letter.
LET'TER, n. [L. litera.]
1. A mark or character, written, printed, engraved or painted; used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the human organs of speech. By sounds, and articulations or closures of the organs, are formed syllables and words. Hence a letter is the first element of written language, as a simple sound is the first element of spoken language or speech. As sounds are audible and communicate ideas to others by the ear, so letters are visible representatives of sounds, and communicate the thoughts of others by means of the eye.
2. A written or printed message; an epistle; a communication made by visible characters from one person to another at a distance.
The style of letters ought to be free, easy and natural.
3. The verbal expression; the literal meaning.
We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law, and the intentions of the lawgiver.
4. Type; a charter formed of metal or wood, usually of metal, and used in printing books.
5. Letters, in the plural, learning; erudition; as a man of letters.
Dead letter, a writing or precept, which is without authority or force. The best law may become a dead letter.
Letter of attorney, a writing by which one person authorizes another to act in his stead.
Letter of marque, a private ship commissioned or authorized by a government to make reprisals on the ships of another state. [See Marque.]
Letters patent, or overt, open, a writing executed and sealed, by which power and authority are granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right; as letters patent under the seal of England.
LET'TER, v.t. To impress or form letters on; as, to letter a book; a book gilt and lettered.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a written message addressed to a person or organization; "mailed an indignant letter to the editor" [syn: letter, missive]
2: the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech; "his grandmother taught him his letters" [syn: letter, letter of the alphabet, alphabetic character]
3: owner who lets another person use something (housing usually) for hire
4: a strictly literal interpretation (as distinct from the intention); "he followed instructions to the letter"; "he obeyed the letter of the law"
5: an award earned by participation in a school sport; "he won letters in three sports" [syn: letter, varsity letter] v
1: win an athletic letter
2: set down or print with letters
3: mark letters on or mark with letters

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French lettre, from Latin littera letter of the alphabet, litterae, plural, epistle, literature Date: 13th century 1. a symbol usually written or printed representing a speech sound and constituting a unit of an alphabet 2. a. a direct or personal written or printed message addressed to a person or organization b. a written communication containing a grant — usually used in plural 3. plural but singular or plural in construction a. literature, belles lettres b. learning 4. the strict or outward sense or significance <the letter of the law> 5. a. a single piece of type b. a style of type 6. the initial of a school awarded to a student for achievement usually in athletics II. verb Date: 1668 transitive verb 1. to set down in letters ; print 2. to mark with letters intransitive verb to win an athletic letter • letterer noun III. noun Date: 1552 one that rents or leases

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a a character representing one or more of the simple or compound sounds used in speech, any of the alphabetic symbols. b (in pl.) colloq. the initials of a degree etc. after the holder's name. c US a school or college initial as a mark of proficiency in games etc. 2 a a written, typed, or printed communication, usu. sent by post or messenger. b (in pl.) an addressed legal or formal document for any of various purposes. 3 the precise terms of a statement, the strict verbal interpretation (opp. SPIRIT n. 6) (according to the letter of the law). 4 (in pl.) a literature. b acquaintance with books, erudition. c authorship (the profession of letters). 5 Printing a types collectively. b a fount of type. --v.tr. 1 a inscribe letters on. b impress a title etc. on (a book-cover). 2 classify with letters. Phrases and idioms: letter-bomb a terrorist explosive device in the form of a postal packet. letter-box esp. Brit. a box or slot into which letters are posted or delivered. letter-card a folded card with a gummed edge for posting as a letter. letter-heading = LETTERHEAD. letter of comfort an assurance about a debt, short of a legal guarantee, given to a bank by a third party. letter of credence see CREDENCE. letter of credit see CREDIT. letter-perfect Theatr. knowing one's part perfectly. letter-quality of the quality of printing suitable for a business letter; producing print of this quality. letters missive see MISSIVE. letters of administration authority to administer the estate of an intestate. letters of marque see MARQUE(2). letters patent see PATENT. letter-writer 1 a person who writes letters. 2 a book giving guidance on writing letters. man of letters a scholar or author. to the letter with adherence to every detail. Derivatives: letterer n. letterless adj. Etymology: ME f. OF lettre f. L litera, littera letter of alphabet, (in pl.) epistle, literature

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Letter Let"ter (l[e^]t"t[~e]r), n. [From Let to permit.] One who lets or permits; one who lets anything for hire.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Letter Let"ter, n. [From Let to hinder.] One who retards or hinders. [Archaic.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Letter Let"ter, n. [OE. lettre, F. lettre, OF. letre, fr. L. littera, litera, a letter; pl., an epistle, a writing, literature, fr. linere, litum, to besmear, to spread or rub over; because one of the earliest modes of writing was by graving the characters upon tablets smeared over or covered with wax. --Pliny, xiii. 11. See Liniment, and cf. Literal.] 1. A mark or character used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the human organs of speech; a first element of written language. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. --Luke xxiii. 38. 2. A written or printed communication; a message expressed in intelligible characters on something adapted to conveyance, as paper, parchment, etc.; an epistle. The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and natural. --Walsh. 3. A writing; an inscription. [Obs.] None could expound what this letter meant. --Chaucer. 4. Verbal expression; literal statement or meaning; exact signification or requirement. We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law and the intention of the lawgiver. --Jer. Taylor. I broke the letter of it to keep the sense. --Tennyson. 5. (Print.) A single type; type, collectively; a style of type. Under these buildings . . . was the king's printing house, and that famous letter so much esteemed. --Evelyn. 6. pl. Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters. 7. pl. A letter; an epistle. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Dead letter, Drop letter, etc. See under Dead, Drop, etc. Letter book, a book in which copies of letters are kept. Letter box, a box for the reception of letters to be mailed or delivered. Letter carrier, a person who carries letters; a postman; specif., an officer of the post office who carries letters to the persons to whom they are addressed, and collects letters to be mailed. Letter cutter, one who engraves letters or letter punches. Letter lock, a lock that can not be opened when fastened, unless certain movable lettered rings or disks forming a part of it are in such a position (indicated by a particular combination of the letters) as to permit the bolt to be withdrawn. A strange lock that opens with AMEN. --Beau. & Fl. Letter paper, paper for writing letters on; especially, a size of paper intermediate between note paper and foolscap. See Paper. Letter punch, a steel punch with a letter engraved on the end, used in making the matrices for type. Letters of administration (Law), the instrument by which an administrator or administratrix is authorized to administer the goods and estate of a deceased person. Letter of attorney, Letter of credit, etc. See under Attorney, Credit, etc. Letter of license, a paper by which creditors extend a debtor's time for paying his debts. Letters close or clause (Eng. Law.), letters or writs directed to particular persons for particular purposes, and hence closed or sealed on the outside; -- distinguished from letters patent. --Burrill. Letters of orders (Eccl.), a document duly signed and sealed, by which a bishop makes it known that he has regularly ordained a certain person as priest, deacon, etc. Letters patent, overt, or open (Eng. Law), a writing executed and sealed, by which power and authority are granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right; as, letters patent under the seal of England. Letter-sheet envelope, a stamped sheet of letter paper issued by the government, prepared to be folded and sealed for transmission by mail without an envelope. Letters testamentary (Law), an instrument granted by the proper officer to an executor after probate of a will, authorizing him to act as executor. Letter writer. (a) One who writes letters. (b) A machine for copying letters. (c) A book giving directions and forms for the writing of letters.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Letter Let"ter (l[e^]t"t[~e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lettered (-t[~e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Lettering.] To impress with letters; to mark with letters or words; as, a book gilt and lettered.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Letter Let"ter, n. (Teleg.) A telegram longer than an ordinary message sent at rates lower than the standard message rate in consideration of its being sent and delivered subject to priority in service of regular messages. Such telegrams are called by the Western Union Company day, or night, letters according to the time of sending, and by The Postal Telegraph Company day, or night, lettergrams.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Attorney At*tor"ney, n.; pl. Attorneys. [OE. aturneye, OF. atorn['e], p. p. of atorner: cf. LL. atturnatus, attornatus, fr. attornare. See Attorn.] 1. A substitute; a proxy; an agent. [Obs.] And will have no attorney but myself. --Shak. 2. (Law) (a) One who is legally appointed by another to transact any business for him; an attorney in fact. (b) A legal agent qualified to act for suitors and defendants in legal proceedings; an attorney at law. Note: An attorney is either public or private. A private attorney, or an attorney in fact, is a person appointed by another, by a letter or power of attorney, to transact any business for him out of court; but in a more extended sense, this class includes any agent employed in any business, or to do any act in pais, for another. A public attorney, or attorney at law, is a practitioner in a court of law, legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court, on the retainer of clients. --Bouvier. -- The attorney at law answers to the procurator of the civilians, to the solicitor in chancery, and to the proctor in the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts, and all of these are comprehended under the more general term lawyer. In Great Britain and in some states of the United States, attorneys are distinguished from counselors in that the business of the former is to carry on the practical and formal parts of the suit. In many states of the United States however, no such distinction exists. In England, since 1873, attorneys at law are by statute called solicitors. A power, letter, or warrant, of attorney, a written authority from one person empowering another to transact business for him.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(letters, lettering, lettered) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. If you write a letter to someone, you write a message on paper and send it to them, usually by post. I had received a letter from a very close friend. ...a letter of resignation... Our long courtship had been conducted mostly by letter. N-COUNT: also by N 2. Letters are written symbols which represent one of the sounds in a language. ...the letters of the alphabet. ...the letter E. N-COUNT 3. If a student earns a letter in sports or athletics by being part of the university or college team, they are entitled to wear on their jacket the initial letter of the name of their university or college. (AM) Valerie earned letters in three sports: volleyball, basketball, and field hockey. N-COUNT 4. If a student letters in sports or athletics by being part of the university or college team, they are entitled to wear on their jacket the initial letter of the name of their university or college. (AM) Burkoth lettered in soccer. VERB: V prep 5. see also capital letter, covering letter, dead letter, love letter, newsletter, poison-pen letter 6. If you say that someone carries out instructions to the letter, you mean that they do exactly what they are told to do, paying great attention to every detail. She obeyed his instructions to the letter. PHRASE: PHR after v

Easton's Bible Dictionary

in Rom. 2:27, 29 means the outward form. The "oldness of the letter" (7:6) is a phrase which denotes the old way of literal outward obedience to the law as a system of mere external rules of conduct. In 2 Cor. 3:6, "the letter" means the Mosaic law as a written law. (See WRITING.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

let'-er.

See EPISTLE.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Alphabetic character. 2. Epistle, note. 3. Literal meaning, literal sense, verbal expression.

Moby Thesaurus

PP, RD, RFD, accurately, acknowledgment, advice, airmail, alphabet, alphabetize, answer, art, article, ascender, autograph, back, bastard type, beard, belles-lettres, belly, bevel, billet, black letter, blueprint, body, book post, brainchild, business letter, cap, capital, capitalize, case, character, charactering, characterization, chart, chit, choreography, communication, communique, composition, computer printout, conventional representation, copy, correspondence, counter, culture, dance notation, delineation, demonstration, depiction, depictment, descender, diagram, direct mail, direct-mail selling, dispatch, document, draft, drama, drawing, edited version, em, embassy, en, engrossment, epistle, erudition, essay, exactly, exemplification, express, face, fair copy, fat-faced type, favor, feet, fiction, figuration, final draft, finished version, first draft, flimsy, font, fourth-class mail, frank, groove, halfpenny post, hieroglyphic, holograph, iconography, ideogram, illustration, imagery, imaging, initial, inscribe, italic, junk mail, learning, letter post, letters, ligature, limning, line, literae scriptae, literally, literary artefact, literary production, literatim, literature, logogram, logograph, logotype, lower case, lucubration, mail, mail-order selling, mailing list, majuscule, manuscript, map, mark, matter, memorandum, message, minuscule, missive, musical notation, newspaper post, nick, nonfiction, notation, note, opus, original, paper, parcel post, parchment, penscript, pi, pica, pictogram, picturization, piece, piece of writing, plan, play, pneumatogram, poem, point, portraiture, portrayal, post, post day, precisely, prefigurement, presentment, print, printed matter, printing, printout, production, projection, reading matter, realization, recension, registered mail, release, rendering, rendition, reply, report, representation, rescript, roman, rural delivery, rural free delivery, sans serif, schema, scholarship, score, screed, scrip, script, scrive, scroll, sea mail, seapost, second draft, shank, shoulder, sic, sign, small cap, small capital, special delivery, special handling, spell out, stamp, stem, strictly, surface mail, syllabary, symbol, tablature, telegram, the written word, thus, to the letter, transcribe, transcript, transcription, transliterate, type, type body, type class, type lice, typecase, typeface, typefounders, typefoundry, typescript, upper case, verbatim, version, word, word for word, work, write, writing