writ

¹ American  

[rit] / rɪt /

noun

1. Law.

   1. a formal order under seal, issued in the name of a sovereign, government, court, or other competent authority, enjoining the officer or other person to whom it is issued or addressed to do or refrain from some specified act.

   2. (in early English law) any formal document in letter form, under seal, and in the sovereign's name.

2. something written; a writing.

   sacred writ.

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writ ² American  

[rit] / rɪt /

verb

Archaic.

1. a simple past tense and past participle of write.

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writ ¹ British  

/ rɪt /

noun

1. Official name: claim.  law (formerly) a document under seal, issued in the name of the Crown or a court, commanding the person to whom it is addressed to do or refrain from doing some specified act

2. archaic a piece or body of writing

   Holy Writ

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writ ² British  

/ rɪt /

verb

1. archaic a past tense and past participle of write

2. plain to see; very obvious

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Etymology

Origin of writ

before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old Norse rit writing, Gothic writs letter. See write

Example Sentences

Participation in such groups, often known as “house churches,” has become far more dangerous in recent years as the government has clamped down on civil society writ large.

From The Wall Street Journal

I loved that so many Americans were doing something by turning out to not just protest policies that hit personally, but to rally in support of democracy writ large.

From Los Angeles Times

The lovely part of traveling with parents is that, unlike young children, they often have informed, realistic opinions about what they want and don’t want from the experience writ large and on a daily basis.

From Los Angeles Times

Sharaa's writ does not run in the north-east, where the Kurds are in control, or parts of the south where Syrian Druze, another minority sect, want a separate state backed by their Israeli allies.

From BBC

The implications of this reordering extend far beyond the workings of Wall Street and now stretch to our society writ large, be it politics, sports, or entertainment.

From Barron's

Related Words

• summons