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noun Writ n. 1.That which is written; writing; scripture; applied especially to the Scriptures, or the books of the Old and New testaments; as, sacred writ. "Though in Holy Writ not named." "Then to his hands that writ he did betake, Which he disclosing read, thus as the paper spake." "Babylon, so much spoken of in Holy Writ." 2.(Law) An instrument in writing, under seal, in an epistolary form, issued from the proper authority, commanding the performance or nonperformance of some act by the person to whom it is directed; as, a writ of entry, of error, of execution, of injunction, of mandamus, of return, of summons, and the like. Note: Writs are usually witnessed, or tested, in the name of the chief justice or principal judge of the court out of which they are issued; and those directed to a sheriff, or other ministerial officer, require him to return them on a day specified. In former English law and practice, writs in civil cases were either original or judicial; the former were issued out of the Court of Chancery, under the great seal, for the summoning of a defendant to appear, and were granted before the suit began and in order to begin the same; the latter were issued out of the court where the original was returned, after the suit was begun and during the pendency of it. Tomlins. Brande. Encyc. Brit. The term writ is supposed by Mr. Reeves to have been derived from the fact of these formulae having always been expressed in writing, being, in this respect, distinguished from the other proceedings in the ancient action, which were conducted orally. Writ of account, Writ of capias, etc. See under Account, Capias, etc. Service of a writ. See under Service.
verb Write v. t. (past wrote; past part. written; archaic past & past part. writ; pres. part. writing) 1.To set down, as legible characters; to form the conveyance of meaning; to inscribe on any material by a suitable instrument; as, to write the characters called letters; to write figures. 2.To set down for reading; to express in legible or intelligible characters; to inscribe; as, to write a deed; to write a bill of divorcement; hence, specifically, to set down in an epistle; to communicate by letter. "Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves." "I chose to write the thing I durst not speak To her I loved." 3.Hence, to compose or produce, as an author. "I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time within the memory of men still living." 4.To impress durably; to imprint; to engrave; as, truth written on the heart. 5.To make known by writing; to record; to prove by one's own written testimony; often used reflexively. "He who writes himself by his own inscription is like an ill painter, who, by writing on a shapeless picture which he hath drawn, is fain to tell passengers what shape it is, which else no man could imagine." To write to, to communicate by a written document to. Written laws, laws deriving their force from express legislative enactment, as contradistinguished from unwritten, or common, law. See the Note under Law, and Common law, under Common, a.
Write v. i. (past wrote; past part. written; archaic past & past part. writ; pres. part. writing) 1.To form characters, letters, or figures, as representative of sounds or ideas; to express words and sentences by written signs. "So it stead you, I will write, Please you command." 2.To be regularly employed or occupied in writing, copying, or accounting; to act as clerk or amanuensis; as, he writes in one of the public offices. 3.To frame or combine ideas, and express them in written words; to play the author; to recite or relate in books; to compose. "They can write up to the dignity and character of the authors." 4.To compose or send letters. "He wrote for all the Jews that went out of his realm up into Jewry concerning their freedom."
Writ v. obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Write, for writeth.
Writ v. archaic Imp. & p. p. of Write.
Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48
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