Writ

//ɹɪt// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A written order, issued by a court, ordering someone to do (or stop doing) something. countable
  2. 2
    (law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer wordnet
  3. 3
    A document ordering that an election be conducted. Australia, Canada, New-Zealand, UK, countable
  4. 4
    An order issued by the House of Lords summoning peers to the Chamber. UK, countable
  5. 5
    Authority, power to enforce compliance. uncountable

    "We can't let them take advantage of the fact that there are so many areas of the world where no one's writ runs."

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  1. 6
    That which is written; writing. archaic, countable, uncountable

    "Then to his hands that writ he did betake, / Which he disclosing, red thus, as the paper spake."

Verb
  1. 1
    simple past of write dated, dialectal, form-of, past

    "I know the hand, in faith tis a faire hand, And whiter then the paper it writ on, Is the faire hand that writ."

  2. 2
    past participle of write up dated, dialectal, form-of, participle, past

    "I know the hand, in faith tis a faire hand, And whiter then the paper it writ on, Is the faire hand that writ."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English writ, from Old English writ and ġewrit (“writing”), from Proto-Germanic *writą (“fissure, writing”), from Proto-Indo-European *wrey-, *wrī- (“to scratch, carve, ingrave”). Cognate with Scots writ (“writ, writing, handwriting”), Icelandic rit (“writing, writ, literary work, publication”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English writ, write, from Old English write.

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