letter
- written message
1 letters and other kinds of written message
2 writing a letter
3 sending and receiving letters
see also WRITE
1 letters and other kinds of written message
- a written message which you send to sb: letter
I got a letter from my sister yesterday. ◎ a business letter ◎ a love letter
- a short letter: note
- a note which is sent from one person to another within a company or organization: memo (plural memos), (formal) memorandum (plural memoranda)
- a card that you write a message on and send to sb: postcard
'Have a lovely holiday!' 'Thanks. I'll send you a postcard.'
- a written message which you send by telephone lines, using a special machine: fax; to send a fax: fax (sb) (sth), fax (sth) (to sb); the machine used for sending a fax: fax (machine)
Why not send a fax? ◎ I'll fax you my new address.
- a system for sending written messages by computer: e-mail (= electronic mail) (noun U); verb: e-mail sb (with sth), e-mail sth (to sb); a message sent in this way: e-mail
an e-mail message ◎ I'll get in touch by e-mail. ◎ Could you e-mail me once you know the results? ◎ Please send me a fax or an e-mail by tomorrow.
- a message which you can send very quickly, and which is delivered on a printed form: telegram
- a message which you type on a special machine; it is sent by telephone and is immediately printed by another machine in the receiver's office: telex; to send a telex: telex (sb) (sth)
I've telexed her about the contract.
2 writing a letter
- to put a written message on paper: write* (to sb), write* (sb) a letter, (informal) drop sb a line
Why don't you ever write? ◎ I've got to write to the bank this afternoon. ◎ I spent most of the afternoon writing letters. ◎ I must drop Mary a line to let her know I've had the baby.
- to write a letter using a machine: type a letter
Was the letter hand-written or typed?
- paper used for writing letters: writing paper (noun U), notepaper (noun U)
- to say the words of a letter so that a secretary can write them down: dictate a letter
- to write a letter as an answer to a letter you have received: reply (to sb/sth), answer (sth), write* back; nouns: reply, answer
I wrote to her ages ago but she never replied. ◎ I still haven't answered Aunt Elsie's letter. ◎ I wrote back straight away, telling them that I'd already paid. ◎ Did you get a reply to your letter?
- to write to an organization to order sth or to ask them to send you sth: write* off/away for sth, send* off/away for sth
I'm going to write off for those free train tickets.
- to write a letter to an organization, for example a radio station, in order to give an opinion, make a complaint, etc: write* in (to sb/sth)
A lot of listeners wrote in to complain about the presenter's bad language.
※ the beginning and end of a letter
- at the beginning of a letter you write Dear ※¦
Dear Mrs Kirkpatrick
- if you are writing a formal letter to sb whose name you do not know, you write Dear Sir for a man, Dear Madam for a woman, or Dear Sir/Madam if you do not know whether the receiver is a man or a woman
- if you want the reader to know that you are writing about a particular subject which he/she already knows about, you write (formal) with reference to, followed by the subject of the letter
With reference to your advertisement in today's Guardian ※¦
- at the end of a formal letter, you write Yours sincerely if you know the name of the receiver, or Yours faithfully if you do not know his/her name
- at the end of a fairly formal but friendly letter, you can write (Kind) Regards, Best Wishes
- at the end of an informal letter, you can write (Lots of) love, All the best
- your name, written by hand in a special way so that nobody else can copy it: signature
- to put your signature on sth: sign (sth)
- if you have already signed an informal letter, and you would like to write sth more, you can write PS (= postscript) and then the message
PS Paula sends her love.
- the number of your house or flat, the name of your street and the name of your town which you write on a letter: address
- a paper cover for a letter: envelope
- to write the name and address of the receiver on an envelope: address the envelope
- to put some other material in an envelope with a letter: enclose sth
She enclosed a map with the invitation, so that the guests would be able to find her house.
3 sending and receiving letters
- the act of writing and sending letters; the letters you write and receive: (formal) correspondence (noun U)
My secretary deals with all my correspondence.
- to communicate with sb by letter: (formal) correspond (with sb)
We've been corresponding now for two years and we still haven't met!
- a person who you correspond with: (formal) correspondent
- a person who you become friendly with by exchanging letters: penfriend (especially AmE pen pal)
Robert has penfriends all over the world.
※ sending letters
- to send a letter, etc: send* sth, post (AmE mail) sth
I sent it yesterday, so it should arrive today. ◎ Could you post this letter for me on your way to the shops please?
※ more on posting letters POST
※ receiving letters
- a general term for letters, parcels, etc that you receive: post (noun U), (especially AmE) mail (noun U)
Did any post come this morning?
- a covered hole in the door of a house, flat, etc, through which the postman puts letters: letter box
- to receive a letter, etc from sb: have/get* sth (from sb), hear* from sb
Did you get my letter? ◎ I heard from Julie this morning - she's getting married!
- to take a letter out of its envelope: open a letter
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