Letter

In Rom. 2:27, 29 means the outward form. The “oldness of the letter” (7:6) is a phrase which denotes the old way of literal outward obedience to the law as a system of mere external rules of conduct. In 2 Cor. 3:6, “the letter” means the Mosaic law as a written law. (See WRITING.)

LET'TER. The letters mentioned, 2 Sam 11:14, 2 Kgs 10:1; Ezr 4:11, were in the form of rolls, not unlike those used in the East at the present day. Thus the Arabs roll up their letters, and then flatten them to the breadth of an inch and paste up the end instead of sealing them, and the Persians make up their letters in the form of rolls, about 6 inches long, and paste a bit of paper around them with gum and seal them with an impression of ink. When sent to inferiors they were often Part of a Turkish Firman. sent open, Neh 6:5; but when sent to equals or superiors they were enclosed in a purse or bag. See Writing.

LET'TER. The letters mentioned, 2 Sam 11:14, 2 Kgs 10:1; Ezr 4:11, were in the form of rolls, not unlike those used in the East at the present day. Thus the Arabs roll up their letters, and then flatten them to the breadth of an inch and paste up the end instead of sealing them, and the Persians make up their letters in the form of rolls, about 6 inches long, and paste

a bit of paper around them with gum and seal them with an impression of ink. When sent to inferiors they were often Part of a Turkish Firman. sent open, Neh 6:5; but when sent to equals or superiors they were enclosed in a purse or bag. See Writing.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

One who lets or permits; one who lets anything for hire.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

One who retards or hinders. [Archaic.]

Part of speech: noun (n.)

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. We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law and the intention of the lawgiver. Jer. Taylor. I broke the letter of it to keep the sense. Tennyson.

5. A single type; type, collectively; a style of type. Under these buildings . . . was the king's printing house, and that famous letter so much esteemed. Evelyn.

6. Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters.

7. A letter; an epistle. [Obs.] Chaucer. Dead letter, Drop letter, etc. See under Dead, Drop, etc. -- Letter book, a book in which copies of letters are kept. -- Letter box, a box for the reception of letters to be mailed or delivered. -- Letter carrier, a person who carries letters; a postman; specif., an officer of the post office who carries letters to the persons to whom they are addressed, and collects letters to be mailed. -- Letter cutter, one who engraves letters or letter punches. -- Letter lock, a lock that can not be opened when fastened, unless certain movable lettered rings or disks forming a part of in are in such a position (indicated by a particular combination of the letters) as to permit the bolt to be withdrawn. A strange lock that opens with AMEN. Beau. & Fl. -- Letter paper, paper for writing letters on; especially, a size of paper intermediate between note paper and foolscap. See Paper. -- Letter punch, a steel punch with a letter engraved on the end, used in making the matrices for type. -- Letters of administration (Law), the instrument by which an administrator or administratrix is authorized to administer the goods and estate of a deceased person. -- Letter of attorney, Letter of credit, etc. See under Attorney, Credit, etc. -- Letter of license, a paper by which creditors extend a debtor's time for paying his debts. -- Letters close or clause (Eng. Law.), letters or writs directed to particular persons for particular purposes, and hence closed or sealed on the outside; -- distinguished from letters patent. Burrill. -- Letters of orders (Eccl.), a document duly signed and sealed, by which a bishop makes it known that he has regularly ordained a certain person as priest, deacon, etc. -- Letters patent, overt, or open (Eng. Law), a writing executed and sealed, by which power and authority are granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right; as, letters patent under the seal of England. -- Letter-sheet envelope, a stamped sheet of letter paper issued by the government, prepared to be folded and sealed for transmission by mail without an envelope. -- Letters testamentary (Law), an instrument granted by the proper officer to an executor after probate of a will, authorizing him to act as executor. -- Letter writer. (a) One who writes letters. (b) A machine for copying letters. (c) A book giving directions and forms for the writing of letters.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To impress with letters; to mark with letters or words; as, a book gilt and lettered.