word-vault

{ "term": "letter", "partOfSpeech": "noun", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a1", "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "a written, typed or printed message that is put in an envelope or attached to an email and sent to somebody", "sensetop": "letter to somebodyletter from somebodya letter of something by letter", "labels": "(British English)(North American English)", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "to **write/send (somebody) a letter**" }, { "text": "to **receive/get a letter**" }, { "text": "to **post a letter**" }, { "text": "to **mail a letter**" }, { "text": "a thank-you/resignation/rejection letter" }, { "text": "In a letter to members, the Chairman explained the changes.", "contextForm": "letter to somebody" }, { "text": "I wrote a **letter to the editor** of our local paper." }, { "text": "You may need a letter from your doctor.", "contextForm": "letter from somebody" }, { "text": "a letter of recommendation/complaint/apology", "contextForm": "a letter of something" }, { "text": "You will be notified by letter.", "contextForm": "by letter" }, { "text": "More than 100 scientists have signed a letter to the Prime Minister." }, { "text": "In a letter dated 8 January last year, residents warned of the fire risk." }, { "text": "Her letter was published in the local paper." }, { "text": "There's a letter here addressed to you." }, { "text": "I'm just going out to post/mail a letter." }, { "text": "He's applied for dozens of jobs and had dozens of rejection letters." }, { "text": "Police received an anonymous letter about the case." }, { "text": "I started to receive threatening letters demanding further payments." }, { "text": "We've had so many calls and letters from people who are worried." }, { "text": "Keep a copy of the letter on file." }, { "text": "Put the information in an email or a letter and send it to me." }, { "text": "I got a letter from their lawyers threatening legal action." }, { "text": "We welcome letters from our readers." }, { "text": "They sent me a letter saying the appointment had been changed." }, { "text": "Why don't you write her a letter saying how you feel?" }, { "text": "I went home and wrote a letter of resignation." }, { "text": "He made these remarks in a letter to a friend." }, { "text": "She fired off a letter of complaint to the Chief Executive." }, { "text": "A collection of letters between the artist and her sister has been published." }, { "text": "A letter headed ‘Advertising Mania’ appeared in the paper." }, { "text": "Apart from the occasional letter, they had not been in touch for years." }, { "text": "George Bernard Shaw was a prolific letter writer." }, { "text": "His letter went on to give reasons for his refusal to take part." }, { "text": "I haven't had a letter from her for ages." }, { "text": "I hope my last letter has reached you." }, { "text": "I was angry that they didn't even acknowledge my letter." }, { "text": "I wrote my uncle a thank-you letter as soon as I opened the present." }, { "text": "In your letter of 5 June…" }, { "text": "Our letters crossed in the post." }, { "text": "Please reply by letter." }, { "text": "She drafted an angry letter to the newspaper." }, { "text": "He wrote her a letter saying that he was not coming back." }, { "text": "She wrote an impassioned letter to her local newspaper to complain about the new road." }, { "text": "He received countless letters of support while in jail." }, { "text": "The charity received an anonymous letter enclosing a large cheque." }, { "text": "The conditions are explained in the accompanying letter." }, { "text": "The letter concluded with a threat of possible legal action." }, { "text": "The letter contained information that only the killer could know." }, { "text": "The letter is dated 7 July." }, { "text": "The letter started off by thanking us for our offer." }, { "text": "The letter was addressed to me." }, { "text": "The letter was forwarded from my old address." }, { "text": "The porter distributes incoming letters to the offices." }, { "text": "We reserve the right to cut or edit letters." }, { "text": "a letter of application/apology" }, { "text": "a letter to the editor (= of a newspaper)" }, { "text": "The prime minister has sent a letter of condolence to the family of the missing pilot." }, { "text": "They wrote a letter of complaint to the television network." }, { "text": "There's a letter for you from your mother." } ], "topics": ["Literature and writing"], "collocations": { "adjective": ["lengthy", "long", "brief"], "verb + letter": ["draft", "write", "read"], "letter + verb": ["arrive", "come", "reach somebody"], "letter + noun": ["writer", "writing", "carrier"], "preposition": ["by letter", "in a/the letter", "letter about"] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "a written or printed sign representing a sound used in speech", "sensetop": "in… letters", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "‘B’ is the second letter of the alphabet." }, { "text": "How many letters are in the Greek alphabet?" }, { "text": "the letter A/B/C" }, { "text": "I'm thinking of a word that begins with the letter M." }, { "text": "She typed the word ‘HISTORY’ in **capital letters**.", "contextForm": "in… letters" }, { "text": "The slogan is printed in **bold letters** across the top." }, { "text": "Chai is the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet." }, { "text": "The pieces of card were marked with letters of the alphabet." }, { "text": "Each item is assigned a different number or letter." }, { "text": "He had typed a jumble of letters and numbers." }, { "text": "All their names begin with the same letter." }, { "text": "The first letter of my name is K, not C." }, { "text": "His name is written Louis, but you don't pronounce the last letter." }, { "text": "What do those letters after your name mean?" }, { "text": "The system does not distinguish between upper- and lower-case letters." }, { "text": "words such as ‘debt’ and ‘half’, which contain silent letters" }, { "text": "Words with double letters, such as ‘accommodate’, are commonly misspelled." }, { "text": "The company's name is made from the initial letters of his children's names." }, { "text": "Fill in the form in block letters." }, { "text": "His name was written in large white letters over the doorway." }, { "text": "The card said ‘Birthday Girl’ in gold letters." }, { "text": "The title of the book is in large raised letters on the front." }, { "text": "At the end of the course you will receive a letter grade from A–F." } ], "collocations": { "adjective": ["big", "large", "block"], "preposition": ["in… letters"], "phrases": ["the letters of the alphabet"] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "a sign in the shape of a letter that is sewn onto clothes to show that a person plays in a school or college sports team", "labels": "(North American English)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "the exact words of a law or rule rather than its general meaning", "labels": "(often disapproving)", "examples": [ { "text": "They insist on sticking to the letter of the law." }, { "text": "We might be guilty of slightly bending the letter of the law." }, { "text": "In spite of the difficulties it would cause her family, the judge stuck to the letter of the law and jailed her." } ], "topics": ["Permission and obligation"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "doing/following exactly what somebody/something says, paying attention to every detail", "examples": [ { "text": "I followed your instructions to the letter." } ] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/ˈletə(r)/", "audio": "le/letter/letter__gb_2.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/ˈletər/", "audio": "le/letter/letter__us_3.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French lettre, from Latin litera, littera ‘letter of the alphabet’, (plural) ‘epistle, literature, culture’." }