letter
♦♦♦ let|ter /l'etər/ (letters lettering lettered)
1 [N-COUNT] also by N
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.
2 [N-COUNT]
Letters are written symbols which represent one of the sounds in a language.
...the letters of the alphabet.
...the letter E.
3 [N-COUNT]
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.
4 [VERB] V prep
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.
5
see also capital letter, covering letter, love letter, love letter, newsletter, poison-pen letter
6 [PHRASE] PHR after v
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.beg|ging let|ter (begging letters)
[N-COUNT]
A begging letter is a letter from a person or organization in which they ask you to send some money for a particular purpose. (mainly BRIT)
I wrote hundreds of begging letters to charities and businesses.capi|tal let|ter (capital letters)
[N-COUNT]
Capital letters are the same as capitals.chain let|ter (chain letters)
[N-COUNT]
A chain letter is a letter, often with a promise of money, that is sent to several people who send copies on to several more people. Chain letters are illegal in some countries.cov|er let|ter (cover letters)
[N-COUNT]
A cover letter is the same as a covering letter. (AM)cov|er|ing let|ter (covering letters)
[N-COUNT]
A covering letter is a letter that you send with a parcel or with another letter in order to provide extra information. (BRIT; in AM, use cover letter)dead let|ter (dead letters)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that a law or agreement is a dead letter, you mean that it still exists but people ignore it.
No one does anything about it and the law becomes a dead letter.let|ter bomb (letter bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A letter bomb is a small bomb which is disguised as a letter or parcel and sent to someone through the post. It is designed to explode when it is opened.let|ter of cred|it (letters of credit)
1 [N-COUNT]
A letter of credit is a letter written by a bank authorizing another bank to pay someone a sum of money. Letters of credit are often used by importers and exporters. (BUSINESS)
2 [N-COUNT]
A letter of credit is a written promise from a bank stating that they will repay bonds to lenders if the borrowers are unable to pay them. (BUSINESS)
The project is being backed by a letter of credit from Lasalle Bank.love let|ter (love letters)
[N-COUNT]
A love letter is a letter that you write to someone in order to tell them that you love them.open let|ter (open letters)
[N-COUNT]
An open letter is a letter that is published in a newspaper or magazine. It is addressed to a particular person but is intended for the general reader, usually in order to protest or give an opinion about something.
The Lithuanian parliament also sent an open letter to the United Nations.poison-pen let|ter (poison-pen letters)
[N-COUNT]
A poison-pen letter is an unpleasant unsigned letter which is sent in order to upset someone or to cause trouble.
1 [N-COUNT] also by N
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.
2 [N-COUNT]
Letters are written symbols which represent one of the sounds in a language.
...the letters of the alphabet.
...the letter E.
3 [N-COUNT]
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.
4 [VERB] V prep
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.
5
see also capital letter, covering letter, love letter, love letter, newsletter, poison-pen letter
6 [PHRASE] PHR after v
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.beg|ging let|ter (begging letters)
[N-COUNT]
A begging letter is a letter from a person or organization in which they ask you to send some money for a particular purpose. (mainly BRIT)
I wrote hundreds of begging letters to charities and businesses.capi|tal let|ter (capital letters)
[N-COUNT]
Capital letters are the same as capitals.chain let|ter (chain letters)
[N-COUNT]
A chain letter is a letter, often with a promise of money, that is sent to several people who send copies on to several more people. Chain letters are illegal in some countries.cov|er let|ter (cover letters)
[N-COUNT]
A cover letter is the same as a covering letter. (AM)cov|er|ing let|ter (covering letters)
[N-COUNT]
A covering letter is a letter that you send with a parcel or with another letter in order to provide extra information. (BRIT; in AM, use cover letter)dead let|ter (dead letters)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that a law or agreement is a dead letter, you mean that it still exists but people ignore it.
No one does anything about it and the law becomes a dead letter.let|ter bomb (letter bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A letter bomb is a small bomb which is disguised as a letter or parcel and sent to someone through the post. It is designed to explode when it is opened.let|ter of cred|it (letters of credit)
1 [N-COUNT]
A letter of credit is a letter written by a bank authorizing another bank to pay someone a sum of money. Letters of credit are often used by importers and exporters. (BUSINESS)
2 [N-COUNT]
A letter of credit is a written promise from a bank stating that they will repay bonds to lenders if the borrowers are unable to pay them. (BUSINESS)
The project is being backed by a letter of credit from Lasalle Bank.love let|ter (love letters)
[N-COUNT]
A love letter is a letter that you write to someone in order to tell them that you love them.open let|ter (open letters)
[N-COUNT]
An open letter is a letter that is published in a newspaper or magazine. It is addressed to a particular person but is intended for the general reader, usually in order to protest or give an opinion about something.
The Lithuanian parliament also sent an open letter to the United Nations.poison-pen let|ter (poison-pen letters)
[N-COUNT]
A poison-pen letter is an unpleasant unsigned letter which is sent in order to upset someone or to cause trouble.