Write

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Write, v. t. [OE. writen, AS. wrītan; originally, to scratch, to score; akin to OS. wrītan to write, to tear, to wound, D. rijten to tear, to rend, G. reissen, OHG. rīzan, Icel. rīta to write, Goth. writs a stroke, dash, letter. Cf. Race tribe, lineage.].

•  To set down, as legible characters; to form the conveyance of meaning; to inscribe on any material by a suitable instrument; as, to write the characters called letters; to write figures.  [1913 Webster]
•  To set down for reading; to express in legible or intelligible characters; to inscribe; as, to write a deed; to write a bill of divorcement; hence, specifically, to set down in an epistle; to communicate by letter.  [1913 Webster]

  "Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves."  [1913 Webster]

  "I chose to write the thing I durst not speak
  To her I loved."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, to compose or produce, as an author.  [1913 Webster]

  "I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time within the memory of men still living."  [1913 Webster]
•  To impress durably; to imprint; to engrave; as, truth written on the heart.  [1913 Webster]
•  To make known by writing; to record; to prove by one's own written testimony; -- often used reflexively.  [1913 Webster]

  "He who writes himself by his own inscription is like an ill painter, who, by writing on a shapeless picture which he hath drawn, is fain to tell passengers what shape it is, which else no man could imagine."  [1913 Webster]

To write to, to communicate by a written document to. -- Written laws, laws deriving their force from express legislative enactment, as contradistinguished from unwritten, or common, law. See the Note under Law, and Common law, under Common, a.

Write, v. i. 

•  To form characters, letters, or figures, as representative of sounds or ideas; to express words and sentences by written signs.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

  "So it stead you, I will write,
  Please you command."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be regularly employed or occupied in writing, copying, or accounting; to act as clerk or amanuensis; as, he writes in one of the public offices.  [1913 Webster]
•  To frame or combine ideas, and express them in written words; to play the author; to recite or relate in books; to compose.  [1913 Webster]

  "They can write up to the dignity and character of the authors."  [1913 Webster]
•  To compose or send letters.  [1913 Webster]

  "He wrote for all the Jews that went out of his realm up into Jewry concerning their freedom."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Write, v. (past wrote; past part. written)
1 intr. mark paper or some other surface by means of a pen, pencil, etc., with symbols, letters, or words.
2 tr. form or mark (such symbols etc.).
3 tr. form or mark the symbols that represent or constitute (a word or sentence, or a document etc.).
4 tr. fill or complete (a sheet, cheque, etc.) with writing.
5 tr. put (data) into a computer store.
6 tr. (esp. in passive) indicate (a quality or condition) by one's or its appearance (guilt was written on his face).
7 tr. compose (a text, article, novel, etc.) for written or printed reproduction or publication; put into literary etc. form and set down in writing.
8 intr. be engaged in composing a text, article, etc. (writes for the local newspaper).
9 intr. (foll. by to) write and send a letter (to a recipient).
10 tr. US or colloq. write and send a letter to (a person) (wrote him last week).
11 tr. convey (news, information, etc.) by letter (wrote that they would arrive next Friday).
12 tr. state in written or printed form (it is written that).
13 tr. cause to be recorded.
14 tr. underwrite (an insurance policy).
15 tr. (foll. by into, out of) include or exclude (a character or episode) in a story by suitable changes of the text.
16 tr. archaic describe in writing.

Idiom

nothing to write home about colloq. of little interest or value. write down
1 record or take note of in writing.
2 write as if for those considered inferior.
3 disparage in writing.
4 reduce the nominal value of (stock, goods, etc.).
write in
1 send a suggestion, query, etc., in writing to an organization, esp. a broadcasting station.
2 US add (an extra name) on a list of candidates when voting. write-in n. US an instance of writing in (see write in 2).
write off
1 write and send a letter.
2 cancel the record of (a bad debt etc.); acknowledge the loss of or failure to recover (an asset).
3 damage (a vehicle etc.) so badly that it cannot be repaired.
4 compose with facility. write-off n. a thing written off, esp. a vehicle too badly damaged to be repaired.
write out
1 write in full or in finished form.
2 exhaust (oneself) by writing (have written myself out).
write up
1 write a full account of.
2 praise in writing.
3 make entries to bring (a diary etc.) up to date. write-up n. colloq. a written or published account, a review.

Derivative

writable adj.

Etymology

OE writan scratch, score, write, f. Gmc: orig. used of symbols inscribed with sharp tools on stone or wood

THESAURUS

Write

adapt, arrange, assemble, author, book, bring to life, build, calendar, carve, cast, catalog, catch a likeness, chalk, chalk up, character, characterize, chart, check in, chronicle, coauthor, collaborate, communicate with, compose, compound, concoct, construct, copy, copy out, correspond, correspond with, create, cut, dash off, delineate, depict, describe, devise, diagram, docket, draft, draw, draw up, drop a line, edit, editorialize, elaborate, enface, engrave, engross, enroll, enscroll, enter, erect, evoke, evolve, exchange letters, express, extrude, fabricate, fashion, file, fill out, form, formulate, frame, free-lance, fudge together, get up, ghost, ghostwrite, give words to, grave, harmonize, hit off, impanel, incise, index, indite, inscribe, insert, instrument, instrumentate, jot, jot down, knock off, knock out, limn, list, log, make, make a memorandum, make a note, make a recension, make an adaptation, make an entry, make out, make up, manufacture, map, mark down, matriculate, mature, melodize, minute, mold, musicalize, notate, note, note down, novelize, orchestrate, outline, paint, pamphleteer, patch together, pen, pencil, picture, picturize, piece together, place upon record, poll, portray, post, post up, prefabricate, prepare, print, produce, push the pen, put down, put in writing, put on paper, put on tape, put to music, put together, put up, raise, rear, recense, record, reduce to writing, register, render, represent, revise, rewrite, rub, run up, scenarize, schematize, score, scratch, scrawl, scribble, scribe, scrive, scroll, send a note, set, set down, set forth, set to music, set up, shape, sketch, spill ink, spoil paper, superscribe, symbolize, tabulate, take a rubbing, take down, tape, tape-record, throw on paper, trace, trace out, trace over, transcribe, transpose, type, use the mails, videotape, whomp up, write down, write in, write out, write to, write up

ROGET THESAURUS

Write

Style

VB express by words, write.

Writing

VB write, pen, copy, engross, write out, write out fair, transcribe, scribble, scrawl, scrabble, scratch, interline, stain paper, write down, sign, enface, compose, indite, draw up, draft, formulate, dictate, inscribe, throw on paper, dash off, manifold, take up the pen, take pen in hand, shed ink, spill ink, dip one's pen in ink.

Record

VB record, put on record, place on record, chronicle, calendar, hand down to posterity, keep up the memory, commemorate, report, write, commit to writing, reduce to writing, put in writing, set down in writing, writing in black and white, put down, jot down, take down, write down, note down, set down, note, minute, put on paper, take note, make a note, take minute, take memorandum, make a return, mark, sign, enter, book, post, post up, insert, make an entry of, mark off, tick off, register, enroll, inscroll, file, burn into memory, carve in stone.