And a superscription also was written over him in
letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. --Luke
xxiii. 38.
2. A written or printed communication; a message expressed in
intelligible characters on something adapted to
conveyance, as paper, parchment, etc.; an epistle.
The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and
natural. --Walsh.
3. A writing; an inscription. [Obs.]
None could expound what this letter meant.
--Chaucer.
4. Verbal expression; literal statement or meaning; exact
signification or requirement.
We must observe the letter of the law, without doing
violence to the reason of the law and the intention
of the lawgiver. --Jer. Taylor.
I broke the letter of it to keep the sense.
--Tennyson.
5. (Print.) A single type; type, collectively; a style of
type.
Under these buildings . . . was the king's printing
house, and that famous letter so much esteemed.
--Evelyn.
6. pl. Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters.
7. pl. A letter; an epistle. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
{Dead letter}, {Drop letter}, etc. See under {Dead}, {Drop},
etc.
{Letter book}, a book in which copies of letters are kept.
{Letter box}, a box for the reception of letters to be mailed
or delivered.
{Letter carrier}, a person who carries letters; a postman;
specif., an officer of the post office who carries letters
to the persons to whom they are addressed, and collects
letters to be mailed.
{Letter cutter}, one who engraves letters or letter punches.
{Letter lock}, a lock that can not be opened when fastened,
unless certain movable lettered rings or disks forming a
part of it are in such a position (indicated by a
particular combination of the letters) as to permit the
bolt to be withdrawn.
A strange lock that opens with AMEN. --Beau. & Fl.
{Letter paper}, paper for writing letters on; especially, a
size of paper intermediate between note paper and
foolscap. See {Paper}.
{Letter punch}, a steel punch with a letter engraved on the
end, used in making the matrices for type.
{Letters of administration} (Law), the instrument by which an
administrator or administratrix is authorized to
administer the goods and estate of a deceased person.
{Letter of attorney}, {Letter of credit}, etc. See under
{Attorney}, {Credit}, etc.
{Letter of license}, a paper by which creditors extend a
debtor's time for paying his debts.
{Letters close or clause} (Eng. Law.), letters or writs
directed to particular persons for particular purposes,
and hence closed or sealed on the outside; --
distinguished from letters patent. --Burrill.
{Letters of orders} (Eccl.), a document duly signed and
sealed, by which a bishop makes it known that he has
regularly ordained a certain person as priest, deacon,
etc.
{Letters patent}, {overt}, or {open} (Eng. Law), a writing
executed and sealed, by which power and authority are
granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right;
as, letters patent under the seal of England.
{Letter-sheet envelope}, a stamped sheet of letter paper
issued by the government, prepared to be folded and sealed
for transmission by mail without an envelope.
{Letters testamentary} (Law), an instrument granted by the
proper officer to an executor after probate of a will,
authorizing him to act as executor.
{Letter writer}.
(a) One who writes letters.
(b) A machine for copying letters.
(c) A book giving directions and forms for the writing of
letters.
Overt and apparent virtues bring forth praise.
--Bacon.
2. (Law) Not covert; open; public; manifest; as, an overt act
of treason. --Macaulay.
No person shall be convicted of treason unless on
the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt
act, or on confession in open court. --Constitution
of the U. S.
Note: In criminal law, an overt act is an open done in
pursuance and manifestation of a criminal design; the
mere design or intent not being punishable without such
act. In English law, market overt is an open market; a
pound overt is an open, uncovered pound.