letter Copy link Outline I. Of the alphabetII. That which is specially written1. scriptum2. praescriptum (of instructions from a superior)3. littĕra (rare in this sense)4. verba, orumIII. An epistle1. littĕrae, arum (the most freq. word in familiar language)2. ĕpistŏla3. tăbellae (the tablets or leaves on which a l. was written)4. cōdĭcilli (a short note)IV. In pl. only, learning • letter: I. Of the alphabet: littĕra: to mark the l. A, litteram A imprimere, Cic. Div. 1, 13, 23: elsewhere, Tusc. 1, 25, 62, Cic. has, litterarum notae for the l.s of the alphabet. Capital and running l.s, *l. unciales, cursivae, M. L. (but unciales strictly refers only to the size of letters = majusculi). II. That which is specially written: 1. scriptum: contrary to the l. of the law, contra s., Cic. Br. 39, 145: to follow the l. (opp. to the intention of language), s. sequi, id. Caec. 23, 65. 2. praescriptum (of instructions from a superior): to carry out orders to the l., omnia agere ad p., Caes. B. C. 3, 51. 3. littĕra (rare in this sense): to the l. (= verbatim), ad l., Quint. 9, 1, 25: Vulg. II. Cor. ii. 6 (opp. to spiritus: not class.). Join: verba et litterae, Cic. Caec. l. c. 4. verba, orum: cf. supr. (II., 3). See also literally. III. An epistle: 1. littĕrae, arum (the most freq. word in familiar language): to post (lit. give to the letter-carrier) a letter, litteras dare, Cic. Ep. pass.: to receive one, l. accipere, ib. pass.: I have received a l. from my brother, l. mihi a fratre allatae sunt, id. Att. 3, 26: any letters? ecquid litterarum? ib. 2, 8: no l. from you for so long! abs te tam diu nihil litterarum! ib. 1, 2. (N.B.--To denote two, three, etc., letters, the distrib. numerals must be used, e. g. tuae litterae binae, Cic. Att. 5, 3; or else epistola must be used, as is more freq. the case: cf. ib. 1, 13; 3, 15, etc.) 2. ĕpistŏla: neglect in the matter of l.-writing, negligentia epistolarum, Cic. Att. 1, 6: to send no l. without something written about, nullam e. sine [Cic. uses absque because of the preceding sine] argumento mittere, cf. ib. 1, 19, 1: to write a long l. to any one, longam e. ad aliquem scribere, id. Fam. 14, 2. Adj. epistolaris, e. g. charta, l.-paper, Mart. 14, 11, lem. 3. tăbellae (the tablets or leaves on which a l. was written): cf. Liv. 45, 1, where a l. announcing victory is first called litterae laureatae, afterwards, as exhibited to the people, tabellae laureatae. 4. cōdĭcilli (a short note): Cic.: Plin.: v. note. IV. In pl. only, learning: littĕrae, arum: v. literature, learning.
LETTER Copy link • LETTER 1. A character of the alphabet, littera; litterae forma (e.g., eburnea): the letters, litterarum notae (Cic., Tusc., 1, 25): a large letter, littera grandis (opposed to littera minuta; Vid: Plaut., Bacch., 4, 19, 69; Cic., Verr., 4, 24, 74): with clear letters, litterate (Cic., Pis., 25, 61): capital letter, principium nominis (the initial; Vid: Plaut., Trin., 4, 2, 7, Ce est principium nomini). That which is written, scriptum (opposed to sententia, as Auct., ad Her., 1, 11, 19; or opposed to voluntas scriptoris auctoritasque, as Cic., Caecin., 23, 65): according to the letter, i. e., litterally, ad verbum; ad litteram: the letter of a law, verba ac litterae legis: to keep to the letter, scriptum sequi (opposed to scriptum negligere): the letter is of most avail, scriptum plurimum valet: letter and spirit [Vid: SPIRIT]: to write not a single letter, nullam litteram scribere (as an author). An epistle, litterae (☞ litterae, in this sense, like all other words found only in the plur., must have a distributive numeral, if any; e.g., twelve letters, duodenae litterae; not duodecim litterae, which would mean twelve letters of the alphabet. We should say duodecim epistolae, but not duodecim litterae, in this sense): epistola (as directed to a person at a distance and sent by a messenger): codicilli (directed to a person present, or in the neighborhood, a note, presents): tabellae (the leaves of a 1etter or note, by metonymy, for a letter or note). A letter in one’s own handwriting, litterae alicujus manu scriptae; chirographum an important letter, letter full of intelligence, liber gravis; epistola gravis et rerum plena: to write a letter, epistolam scribere, exarare (with the stilus): to write (send) a letter to anyone, dare litteras ad aliquem; litteras mittere alicui or ad aliquem (☞ not scribere ad aliquem): to write a very full or long letter to anyone, epistolam efficere ad aliquem: to address a letter to anyone, alicui inscribere epistolam: to answer a letter, rescribere litteris or ad litteras (epistolam); litteris or epistolae respondere: to conclude a letter, epistolam concludere: to conclude a letter with anything, epistolam claudere aliqua re (e.g., hoc mandato): to fold a letter, epistolam complicare: to seal a letter, epistolam signare, obsignare, signo suo or annuli sui sigillo imprimere: to put money into a letter, *pecuniam cum epistola conjungere; *pecuniam in eundem fasciculum, in quo est epistola, addere: to receive a letter from one person to another, epistolam accipere ab aliquo ad aliquem: to deliver a letter to the party to whom it is addressed, perferre litteras (epistolam) ad aliquem (☞ not dare litteras ad aliquem, which means “to write or send a letter”): to inclose one letter in another, epistolam cum altera conjungere; epistolam alteri jungere; epistolam in eundem fasciculum addere (☞ not epistolam in alteram includere): a letter inclosed, litterae adjectae, or adjunctae (not inclusae): to interchange letters with any one, cum aliquo per litteras colloqui or agere: letter-paper, plagula or charta epistolaris (Mart., 14, 11, title); a letter-carrier, tabellarius; qui litteras perfeit; epistolarum diribitor (one who delivers letters from the post-office): letter-box (in a post-office), *receptaculum epistolarum: a letter-drawer or case (for keeping letters in), scrinium epistolarum (Plin.). 2. v. inscribere; litteris incidere.