Showing results for "writ"

• past tense form of write.
• past participle of write.

writ

¹ American  

[rit] / rɪt /

noun

writs plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• writs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of writ

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

Explanation

If you are ever served with a writ, then you better do what it says. A writ is a written document issuing a legal order. The word writ has been around since before the twelfth century and was first used to describe a written document needed to have a case heard at the royal courts of England during the Middle Ages. Nowadays, the king is most likely no longer involved, but this word still refers to a legal document issued by a court of law. A writ contains a written order instructing someone to do something or to stop doing something. If you ever need to give out a writ, remember that the verb to serve is typically used to describe the issuing of a writ — as in “Tony was served with a writ on Monday.”

Example Sentences

A Reform UK spokesman said: "Reform UK will move the writ tomorrow morning, and we are proposing a by-election on 6 August."

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

Across Havana, the ravages of time, lack of maintenance and overcrowding is writ large in the facades of one of the best preserved colonial cities in the Americas.

From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026

It’s that rarest of investigative-journalism properties: a consistently profitable enterprise that commands the levels of advertising expenditures that have otherwise plunged across traditional TV and informational media writ large.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

“The American consumer writ large is fragile, and under increasing financial pressure,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

“Get a writ of habeas corpus for each orphan,” David went on, more thinking out loud than instructing Louis, who clearly already knew exactly what to do.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• summons