Showing results for "writ"

• past participle of write.
• past tense form 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.

---

writ ² American  

[rit] / rɪt /

verb

Archaic.

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

---

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

---

writ ² British  

/ rɪt /

verb

1. archaic a past tense and past participle of write

2. plain to see; very obvious

---

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

See Examples For:

writ writs

The VC industry writ large has made a huge push into companies contributing to the physical build-out of AI, as it becomes increasingly clear that sustaining AI’s fast growth will require significantly more infrastructure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

And in a surprising twist, the settlement may turn Meta itself into yet another pressure point on the social media industry writ large.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

The government injected billions into banks, insurance giant AIG and the automobile industry to prevent the collapse of individual companies that would have jeopardized the economy and the financial system writ large if they failed.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

It represents a leap in the evolution of Saar’s work — her smaller scale imaginings now writ large.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Here, on the stained, uncarbolized pavement, the writ of Sister Drummond did not apply.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

“The Fourth Amendment was born of the Founders’ revulsion for general warrants and writs of assistance—instruments that allowed the government to search first and develop suspicions later,” Mr. Chatrie says in his brief.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

At every juncture, the government has told Boasberg that the plaintiffs in his case must file writs of habeas corpus to contest their deportations.

From Slate ● Apr. 1, 2025

Sentenced to 26 years to life in prison, Martinez spent the next three decades filing writs, appeals and petitions as a self-taught jailhouse lawyer.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2024

The Smith team then made its most important and aggressive move by noting that when judges have issued clearly erroneous jury instructions that doom prosecutions, “courts have permitted the government to obtain writs of mandamus.”

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2024

When Walter, who could barely read or write, failed to file the various pleadings, writs, motions, and lawsuits the other prisoners had advised him to file, they blamed him for his predicament.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• summons