n (1)字母(sign or symbol used in writing to represent sounds)[C]：write in block～s 用印刷体(正楷大写字母)书写;capital (upper-case) small (lower-case)～s 大(大)/小(小)写字母;a notice in prominent～s 用醒目的字写的通知;engraved with～s 刻有文字;the 26～s of the English alphabet 英语字母表的26个字母;

(2)信(piece of writing to sb put in an envelope)[C]：address a～在信封上写姓名地址;get/receive a～收到一封信;reply to/answer a～回信;deliver～s 投递信件;dictate a～to a typist 向打字员口授信函;type/write a～打/写一封信;drop a～into a mailbox/a pillar-box 把信投进邮筒;Please forward the～to this address. 请把此信转到这个地址。mail/post/send a～home 给家里寄封信;register a～/have a～registered 寄挂号信;The～came to me by hand. 此信是托人带给我的。an airmail/express～ 航空/快信(件);a registered/special-delivery～ 挂号/特快专递信(件);a brief/long～短/长信;an anonymous～ 匿名信;poison-pen～ (中伤他人的)匿名信;a business/personal～ 商业/私人信(函); an open～ 公开信;a love～情书;a～about sth 关于某事的信;～s from/to friends 来自/写给朋友们的信;a～of congratulation/introduction/recommendation/sympathy/thanks 祝贺/介绍/推荐/慰问/感谢信;He says in his～that ... 他在信中说……;apply by～提出书面申请;

(3)证书，许可证(official document granting certain rights，powers，etc)[C]：a～of authority/credence/credit/advice/guarantee/intent 授权书(委任状)/国书/信用证/发货(汇款)通知单/信用保证书/意向书;～s of administration 遗产管理委任状;

(4)字面意义(exact or literal meaning of the words used)[U，a/the～]：carry out the law in the spirit as well as in the～融会贯通地执行法律;be bound by the～of the law 受法律条文的约束;take sth in the～从字面上理解某事;the～of an agreement 协议的条文;〖反〗spirit;

(5)文学(literature)[pl](fml)：forsake～s for politics 弃文从政;one's interest in～s 对文学的兴趣;a man of～s 文人;famous in the world of～s 在文学界出名;

a dead letter 被忽视的法律条文：The treaty has become a dead～. 这条约成了一纸空文。

red-letter day 喜庆的日子：It was a red-letter day for us. 那对我们来说是个喜庆的日子。

to the letter 严格地，不折不扣地：carry out instructions/an order to the～严格执行指示/命令;

→′letter-bomb n 书信炸弹;′letter-box n 信箱，邮筒;′letterhead n(印在信纸上的)信头;印有信头的信纸;

vt写(印)上字母(mark or write with letters)[T+n]：a book cover～ed in gold 烫有金字的书皮;The word“exit”was～ed on the door. 门上写有“出口”二字。He～ed his name on the flyleaf. 他在书的扉页上签上自己的名字。

→′lettering n 写(刻，印)字;(写，刻，印的)字