|
(lt"tr), n.[From Let to permit.] One who lets or permits; one who lets anything for hire. Let"ter n.[From Let to hinder.] One who retards or hinders. [Archaic.] 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. Let"ter (lt"tr), v. t.[imp. & p. p.Lettered (-trd); p. pr. & vb. n.Lettering.] To impress with letters; to mark with letters or words; as, a book gilt and lettered. 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. スポンサード リンク
|