Writ

/ɹɪt/ · noun

Meaning

(countable, law) A written order, issued by a court, ordering someone to do (or stop doing) something..

Definitions by Sense

1. (countable, law) A written order, issued by a court, ordering someone to do (or stop doing) something.
2. (countable, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK) A document ordering that an election be conducted.
3. (countable, UK) An order issued by the House of Lords summoning peers to the Chamber.
4. (uncountable) Authority, power to enforce compliance.
5. (archaic) That which is written; writing.
6. simple past of write
7. past participle of write up

Example Sentences

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.

Within Lololand, of course, no Chinese writ runs, no Chinese magistrate holds sway, and the people, more or less divided among themselves, are under the government of their tribal chiefs.

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

Babylon, so much spoken of in Holy Writ

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

Lou's not Times foole, though roſie lips and cheeks VVithin his bending ſickles compaſſe come, Loue alters not with his breefe houres and vveekes, But beares it out euen to the edge of doome: If this be error and vpon me proued, I neuer vvrit, nor no man euer loued.

Let Virtuoſo’s in five years be Writ; / Yet not one Thought accuſe thy toil of Wit.

For as this is the Liquor of modern Hiſtorians, nay, perhaps their Muſe, if we may believe the Opinion of Butler, who attributes Inſpiration to Ale, it ought likewiſe to be the Potation of their Readers; ſince every Book ought to be read with the ſame Spirit, and in the ſame Manner, as it is writ.

Synonyms for writ

Antonyms for writ

Related Words

Word Forms

• writs

Usage Notes

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