Write

Write, rīt, v.t. to form letters with a pen or pencil: to express in writing: to compose: to engrave: to record: to communicate by letter.—v.i. to perform the act of writing: to be employed as a clerk: to compose books: to send letters: to practise the art of writing: to work as an author: to compose a letter:—pr.p. wrī′ting; pa.t. wrōte; pa.p. writ′ten.—ns. Wrī′ter, one who writes: a professional scribe or clerk: an ordinary legal practitioner in Scotch country towns: an author: a petty officer in the United States navy who keeps the watch-muster and other books of the ship—usually Ship-writer:—fem. Wrī′teress (rare); Wrī′ter's-cramp (see Cramp); Wrī′tership, the office of a writer; Wrī′ting, the forming letters with a pen or pencil: that which is written: literary production; Wrī′ting-book, a book of paper for practising penmanship; Wrī′ting-case, a portable case containing materials for writing; Wrī′ting-cham′ber, a room fitted for writing: a law office; Wrī′ting-desk, a desk with a sloping top for writing upon: a portable writing-case; Wrī′ting-ink, ink suited for writing with; Wrī′ting-mas′ter, a master who teaches the art of penmanship: the yellow-bunting; Wrīting-pā′per, paper finished with a smooth surface, for writing upon; Wrī′ting-school, a school for penmanship; Wrī′ting-tā′ble, a table fitted or used for writing upon.—adj. Writ′ten, reduced to writing—opposed to Oral.—Writers to the Signet, an ancient society of solicitors in Scotland who formerly had the exclusive right to prepare all summonses and other writs pertaining to the supreme court of justice, and still have the exclusive privilege of preparing crown writs, which include all charters, precepts, and writs from the sovereign or prince of Scotland.—Write down, to put down in written characters: to condemn in writing; Write off, to cancel by an entry on the opposite side of the account; Write out, to transcribe: to exhaust one's mental capacity by too much writing; Write up, to put a full description of in writing: to praise something in writing above its merits. [A.S. wrítan; Ice. ríta; the original meaning being 'to scratch' (cf. the cog. Ger. reissen, to tear).]