writ

[ rit ]

/ rɪt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR writ ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Law.

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

something written; a writing: sacred writ.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU FEEL THE WEAL WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ?

Did you collect all of last week’s words, but eftsoons forget what they mean? Don’t worry, we’re here to jog your memory. See how many words from the week of May 18 to 24 you can get right!

Question 1 of 7

weal

well-being, prosperity, or happiness.

the intervening time.

a somewhat prolonged, sharp, shrill cry, as of pain, fear, or surprise.

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Origin of writ

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

Words nearby writ

wristdrop, wristlet, wristlock, wristwatch, wristy, writ, writ large, writ of assistance, writ of certiorari, writ of election, writ of error

Definition for writ (2 of 3)

writ²

[ rit ]

/ rɪt /

verb Archaic.

a simple past tense and past participle of write.

Definition for writ (3 of 3)

write

[ rahyt ]

/ raɪt /

verb (used with object), wrote or (Archaic) writ; writ·ten or (Archaic) writ; writ·ing.

to trace or form (characters, letters, words, etc.) on the surface of some material, as with a pen, pencil, or other instrument or means; inscribe: Write your name on the board.

to express or communicate in writing; give a written account of.

to fill in the blank spaces of (a printed form) with writing: to write a check.

to execute or produce by setting down words, figures, etc.: to write two copies of a letter.

to compose and produce in words or characters duly set down: to write a letter to a friend.

to produce as author or composer: to write a sonnet; to write a symphony.

to trace significant characters on, or mark or cover with writing.

to cause to be apparent or unmistakable: Honesty is written on his face.

Computers. to transfer (information, data, programs, etc.) from storage to secondary storage or an output medium.

Stock Exchange. to sell (options).

to underwrite.

verb (used without object), wrote or (Archaic) writ; writ·ten or (Archaic) writ; writ·ing.

to trace or form characters, words, etc., with a pen, pencil, or other instrument or means, or as a pen or the like does: He writes with a pen.

to write as a profession or occupation: She writes for the Daily Inquirer.

to express ideas in writing.

to write a letter or letters, or communicate by letter: Write if you get work.

to compose or work as a writer or author.

Computers. to write into a secondary storage device or output medium.

Verb Phrases

write down,

to set down in writing; record; note.
to direct one's writing to a less intelligent reader or audience: He writes down to the public.

write in,

to vote for (a candidate not listed on the ballot) by writing his or her name on the ballot.
to include in or add to a text by writing: Do not write in corrections on the galley.
to request something by mail: If interested, please write in for details.

write off,

to cancel an entry in an account, as an unpaid and uncollectable debt.
to regard as worthless, lost, obsolete, etc.; decide to forget: to write off their bad experience.
to amortize: The new equipment was written off in three years.

write out,

to put into writing.
to write in full form; state completely.
to exhaust the capacity or resources of by excessive writing: He's just another author who has written himself out.

write up,

to put into writing, especially in full detail: Write up a report.
to present to public notice in a written description or account.
Accounting. to make an excessive valuation of (an asset).

Origin of write

before 900; Middle English writen, Old English wrītan; cognate with Old Saxon wrītan to cut, write, German reissen to tear, draw, Old Norse rīta to score, write

SYNONYMS FOR write

6 compose, pen, author, draft, create.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR write ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM write

mis·write, verb (used with object), mis·wrote, mis·writ·ten, mis·writ·ing.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH write

right rite wright write

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for writ

Writ in its history are all the ills and passions of the past century.
Glenn Beck Is Now Selling Hipster Clothes. Really.|Ana Marie Cox|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
McCain said additional economic sanctions against Russia writ large were also called for.
Exclusive: McCain Tells Obama How to Punish Putin|Josh Rogin|March 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Baghdadi is unlikely to comply, and Zawahiri has long been unable to enforce his writ on the Iraqi branch of al Qaeda.
Al Qaeda’s Most Dangerous Stronghold|Bruce Riedel|November 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It is the isolation of rural America writ in bricks and mortar.
George W. Bush ‘Comes Out’ As Artist|Lizzie Crocker|February 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST

And we saw that same desire to be free in Tunisia, where the will of the people proved more powerful than the writ of a dictator.
Obama's State of the Union Speech Transcript|The Daily Beast|January 26, 2011|DAILY BEAST
If he is a notorious spendthrift they outlaw him by means of a writ presented to the magistrate.
The History of Sumatra|William Marsden
I should have stayed at home and writ to him, an' he'd have been compelled to send the police with it.
Some Everyday Folk and Dawn|Miles Franklin
But you have been a patient listener to my inaugural lecture, and it is time to give you a writ of ease.
Blue-Stocking Hall, Vol. 1 (of 3)|William Pitt Scargill
The second attempt to serve the writ on the child was more successful.
The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims|American Anti-Slavery Society
The writ was sent to the late warden on the 5th April, and the notification to the citizens took place on the 9th.
The Story of London|Henry B. Wheatley

British Dictionary definitions for writ (1 of 3)

writ¹

/ (rɪt) /

noun

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 actOfficial name: claim

archaic a piece or body of writingHoly Writ

Word Origin for writ

Old English; related to Old Norse rit, Gothic writs stroke, Old High German riz (German Riss a tear). See write

British Dictionary definitions for writ (2 of 3)

writ²

/ (rɪt) /

verb

archaic, or dialect a past tense and past participle of write

writ large plain to see; very obvious

British Dictionary definitions for writ (3 of 3)

write

/ (raɪt) /

verb writes, writing, wrote or written

to draw or mark (symbols, words, etc) on a surface, usually paper, with a pen, pencil, or other instrument

to describe or record (ideas, experiences, etc) in writing

to compose (a letter) to or correspond regularly with (a person, organization, etc)

(tr; may take a clause as object) to say or communicate by letterhe wrote that he was on his way

(tr) informal, mainly US and Canadian to send a letter to (a person, etc)

to write (words) in cursive as opposed to printed style

(tr) to be sufficiently familiar with (a specified style, language, etc) to use it in writing

to be the author or composer of (books, music, etc)

(tr) to fill in the details for (a document, form, etc)

(tr) to draw up or draft

(tr) to produce by writinghe wrote ten pages

(tr) to show clearlyenvy was written all over his face

(tr) to spell, inscribe, or entitle

(tr) to ordain or prophesyit is written

(tr) to sit (an examination)

(intr) to produce writing as specified

computing to record (data) in a location in a storage deviceCompare read 1 (def. 16)

(tr) Compare underwrite (def. 3a)

Derived forms of write

writable, adjective

Word Origin for write

Old English wrītan (originally: to scratch runes into bark); related to Old Frisian wrīta, Old Norse rīta, Old High German rīzan (German reissen to tear)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with writ

write

In addition to the idioms beginning with write

write down
write in
write off
write one's own ticket
write out
write up

also see:

nothing to write home about

Also see underwrote.

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WORD OF THE DAY

writ

noun

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CAN YOU FEEL THE WEAL WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ?

Origin of writ

Words nearby writ