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paper definition

pa·per (pā′pər)

noun

  1. a thin, flexible material made usually in sheets from a pulp prepared from rags, wood, or other fibrous material, and used for writing or printing on, for packaging, as structural material, as a fabric substitute, etc.
  2. a single piece or sheet of paper
  3. a printed or written sheet; specif.,
    1. an official document
    2. an essay, monograph, or dissertation, as read before a learned society, published in a scholarly journal, etc.
    3. a written examination, report, theme, etc.
    1. commercial paper
    2. paper money
    1. newspaper
    2. wallpaper
  6. a small wrapper or card of paper, usually including its contents a paper of pins
  7. any material like paper, as papyrus
    1. documents identifying a person; credentials
    2. a collection of documents, letters, writings, etc., esp. of one person the Lincoln papers
  9. Slang
    1. a free pass or passes to a theater, etc.
    2. the people admitted by free passes

Etymology: ME papir < OFr papier < L papyrus < Gr papyros, papyrus

adjective

  1. of paper; made of paper
  2. like paper; thin
  3. existing only in written or printed form; theoretical; not real paper profits

transitive verb

  1. to cover or line with paper; specif., to cover or decorate with wallpaper
  2. to wrap or enclose in paper
  3. Slang to help to fill (a theater, etc.) by issuing free passes
  4. Archaic to describe in writing

intransitive verb

to hang wallpaper

Related Forms:

paper Idioms

on paper

  1. in written or printed form
  2. in theory

paper over

to conceal or try to cover up (differences, difficulties, unpleasant facts, etc.)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business paper definition - business

finance paper definition - finance

idioms paper idiom

law paper definition - legal

telecom paper definition - telecom

paper Synonyms

paper

modif.

unsubstantial, flimsy, cardboard; see thin 1.


paper

n.

  1. A piece of legal or official writing

    document, official document, legal paper; see record 1.

    Papers, sense 1, include: abstract, affidavit, warranty, bill, certificate, citation, contract, instrument, credentials, data, deed, diploma, indictment, grant, orders, passport, visa, plea, records, safe-conduct, subpoena, summons, testimony, writ, decree, true bill, voucher, warrant, will.

  2. A newspaper

    journal, daily, daily journal; see newspaper.

  3. A piece of writing

    essay, article, theme; see exposition 2, writing 2.

  4. Means of commercial exchange

    paper money, bills, bank notes; see money 1.

  5. A manufactured product

    Paper, sense 5, includes --- writing material: typing, typewriter, stationery, bond paper, letterhead, personal stationery, ruled, rag, handmade, handtorn, deckle-edge, laid, crown, post paper, correspondence card, foolscap, second sheet, onion skin, manifold, carbon paper, note pad, note paper, note card, filing card; printing paper: newsprint, enameled, glazed, enameled book, coated stock, free sheet, machine-finished book, publication book, poster, computer, copier, xerographic, linen finish, ripple finish, vellum, eggshell, parchment, India, wove, four-ply blank, six-ply blank, writing; Bristol board, strawboard; miscellaneous: art, rice, Chinese rice, Japanese rice, Japanese tea oatmeal, crêpe, butcher's, wrapping, Kraft, tissue, brown, tar, roofing, building, tracing, graph, Whatman, transfer, scrap, blotting, filter, toilet, wax, photographic, sensitive, sensitized; wallpaper, Cellophane, Pliofilm (trademarks), paper towel, cleansing tissue.

on paper

  1. recorded, signed, official; see written 2.

  2. in theory, assumed to be feasible, not yet in practice;


paper

v.

hang, paste up, plaster; see cover 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

paper Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • publish: Councils should publish all papers from public meetings on the internet.

Preposition: in

  • bulk: Each issue is distributed on paper in bulk to Academic Groups within the Institute.

Adjective modifier

  • white: The white paper must move beyond broad concepts to the problems of practice.

Modifies a noun

  • towel: Use disposable cloths and paper towels where possible, otherwise wash tea towels, regularly.

Noun used with modifier

  • ballot: Thus, Harriet Harman remained on the NEC ballot paper despite having failed to be properly nominated by her constituency party.
paper usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

paper quotes

Os guerreiros de ca¤   na‹  o buscam mavo¤  rticas damas para o enlace epitala"  mico; mas antes as preferem do¤  ceis e facilmente troca¤ v eis por pequeninas e vola¤  teis folhas de papel a que o vulgo chamara¤   dinheiroöo 'curriculum vitae'da Civiliza c° a‹  o. The warriors here do not seek out mettlesome women for epithalamic conjunction, but prefer them docile and willing to exchange with ease their favours for those small and deliquescent leaves of paper which the masses call moneyöthe curriculum vitae of Civilization.

-Andrade, Ma¤ r io de

I am a free man, I do not need to copy Petrarch or Boccaccio. My own genius is enough. Let others worry themselves about style and so cease to be themselves. Without a master, without a model, without a guide, without artifice,Igotowork and earnmy living, my well- being, and my fame.What do Ineedmore? Witha goose quill and a few sheets of paper I mock the universe.

-Aretino, Pietro

He stood, a point on a sheet of green paper proclaiming himself the center, with no walls, no borders anywhere; the sky no height above him, totally un- enclosed and shouted: Let me out!

-Atwood, Margaret Eleanor

paper quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"paper." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/paper>

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paper. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/paper

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