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write definition

write (rīt)

transitive verb wrote, written writ′·ten, writing writ′·ing

    1. to form or inscribe (words, letters, symbols, etc.) on a surface, as by cutting, carving, embossing, or, esp., marking with a pen or pencil
    2. to form the words, letters, or symbols of with pencil, chalk, typewriter, etc.; put down in a form to be read to write a paragraph, a formula, etc.
  1. to form or inscribe (words) in cursive style
  2. to spell (a name, word, etc.) words written alike are often pronounced differently
  3. to know (a specific alphabet, language, etc.) well enough to communicate in writing
  4. to be the author or composer of (literary or musical material)
  5. to draw up or compose in legal form
  6. to fill in (a check, money order, etc.) with necessary writing
  7. to cover with writing to write three pages
  8. to communicate in writing he wrote that he would be late
  9. to communicate with in writing; write a letter or note to write her before you go
  10. to entitle or designate in writing he writes himself “Judge”
  11. to underwrite
  12. to leave marks, signs, or evidence of; show clearly greed was written on his face
  13. Comput. to record (information) in a computer's memory or on a tape, etc. for use by a computer to write a file to a disk

Etymology: ME writen < OE writan, to scratch, engrave, write, akin to Ger reissen, to tear < IE base *wer-, to tear off, scratch > Gr rhinē, a rasp

intransitive verb

  1. to form or inscribe words, letters, symbols, etc. on a surface, esp. by making marks with a pen or pencil
  2. to form words in cursive style
  3. to write books or other literary matter; be an author or writer
  4. to write a letter or letters
  5. to be employed at written work, as a clerk, copyist, etc.
  6. to produce writing of a specified kind to write legibly, a pen that writes scratchily
write Idioms

write down

  1. to put into written form; write a record of
  2. to disparage or depreciate in writing
  3. to write in a pointedly simple style, as for readers considered to be less cultivated than the writer
  4. to reduce the book value of (an asset)

write in

☆ to vote for (someone not officially on a ballot) by inserting that person's name on the ballot

write off

  1. to cancel or remove from accounts (bad debts, claims, etc.)
  2. to drop from consideration
  3. amortize (sense )

write out

  1. to put into writing
  2. to write in full
  3. to exhaust (oneself) of ideas by writing prolifically

write up

  1. to write a record or account of
  2. to complete in writing
  3. to praise in writing
  4. Accounting to increase the book value of (an asset)

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

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