英汉词典

letter 基本解释

• n. 信；字母，文字；证书；文学，学问；字面意义
• vt. 写字母于
• vi. 写印刷体字母
• n. (Letter)人名；(英)莱特

letter 词态变化

letter 中文词源

来自拉丁语litera,字母，文字，词源同literal.引申词义信件。

letter 英文词源

letter

letter: [13] The distant ancestry of the word letter has never been satisfactorily explained. One possible candidate as a source that has been put forward is Greek diphthérai ‘writing tablets’. But the earliest precursor that can be positively identified is Latin littera. This meant ‘alphabetic symbol’, or in the plural ‘document’ and ‘epistle’. English acquired it via Old French lettre. Also from Latin littera are English literature and obliterate [16], which means etymologically ‘remove letters’.
=> literature, obliterate

letter (n.1)

c. 1200, "graphic symbol, alphabetic sign, written character," from Old French letre (10c., Modern French lettre) "character, letter; missive, note," in plural, "literature, writing, learning," from Latin littera (also litera) "letter of the alphabet," of uncertain origin, perhaps via Etruscan from Greek diphthera "tablet," with change of d- to l- as in lachrymose. In this sense it replaced Old English bocstæf, literally "book staff" (compare German Buchstabe "letter, character," from Old High German buohstab, from Proto-Germanic *bok-staba-m).

Latin littera also meant "a writing, document, record," and in plural litteræ "a letter, epistle," a sense first attested in English early 13c., replacing Old English ærendgewrit, literally "errand-writing." The Latin plural also meant "literature, books," and figuratively "learning, liberal education, schooling" (see letters). School letter in sports, attested by 1908, were said to have been first awarded by University of Chicago football coach Amos Alonzo Stagg. Expression to the letter "precisely" is from 1520s (earlier as after the letter). Letter-perfect is from 1845, originally in theater jargon, in reference to an actor knowing the lines exactly. Letter-press, in reference to matter printed from relief surfaces, is from 1840.

letter (v.)

"to write in letters," 1660s, from letter (n.1). Earlier it meant "to instruct" (mid-15c.). Related: Lettered; lettering.

letter (n.2)

"one who lets" in any sense, c. 1400, agent noun from let (v.).

letter 词组搭配

letter 英文释义

1. a written message addressed to a person or organization;

"mailed an indignant letter to the editor"

2. the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech;

"his grandmother taught him his letters"

3. a strictly literal interpretation (as distinct from the intention);

"he followed instructions to the letter"

"he obeyed the letter of the law"

4. an award earned by participation in a school sport;

"he won letters in three sports"

5. owner who lets another person use something (housing usually) for hire

letter 同义词解析

alphabet, letter, character, script

这些名词均有"字母"之意。

alphabet：指整个字母系统或一种语言的字母表，不表单个字母。

letter：指单个的字母。

character：通常指汉语的方块字，也指字符。

script：指书写或印刷的字母。

letter, note, correspondence, message

这些名词均有"信"之意。

letter： 最普通用词，泛指一切形式的书信，尤指邮寄的信。

note： 指内容直截了当的短信或便条，正式或非正式均可。

correspondence： 集合名词，指全部来往信件。

message： 指书信、口信、电报等。

letter 双语例句

1. The letter merely restated the law of the land.

这封信只不过重复了一下土地法。

来自柯林斯例句

2. The letter was short — a simple recitation of their problem.

信写得很短——只是简单地说了一下他们的问题。

来自柯林斯例句

3. The things that stuck out were his cockiness and his four-letter words.

与众不同之处在于他的骄傲自大和满嘴脏话。

来自柯林斯例句

4. The letter showed horribly clearly the workings of a twisted mind.

那封信非常清楚地表明了一个变态者的思维方式。

来自柯林斯例句

5. The spokesman said the tone of the letter was very friendly.

发言人说信函的语气非常友好。

来自柯林斯例句

letter 实用场景例句

a business/thank-you, etc. letter

商业信函、感谢信等

牛津词典

a letter of complaint

投诉书

牛津词典

(British English)to post a letter

寄信

牛津词典

(North Amercian English)to mail a letter

寄信

牛津词典

There's a letter for you from your mother.

有你母亲的一封来信。

牛津词典

You will be notified by letter .

将用信函通知你。

牛津词典

‘B ’ is the second letter of the alphabet.

b是字母表的第二个字母。

牛津词典

Write your name in capital/block letters .

用大写字母书写姓名。

牛津词典

They insist on sticking to the letter of the law.

他们坚持严守法律的字面意义。

牛津词典

I followed your instructions to the letter.

我是严格遵照你的指示办的。

牛津词典

the stars lettered Alpha and Beta

以α和β命名的星

牛津词典

a black banner lettered in white

印有白色字母的黑色横幅

牛津词典

I had received a letter from a very close friend.

我收到一个很要好的朋友的来信。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

...a letter of resignation...

辞职信

柯林斯高阶英语词典

...the letters of the alphabet.

字母表中的字母

柯林斯高阶英语词典

...the letter E.

字母E

柯林斯高阶英语词典

Valerie earned letters in three sports: volleyball, basketball, and field hockey.

瓦莱丽在排球、篮球和曲棍球三个项目上获得了佩戴校名首字母标志的荣誉。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

Burkoth lettered in soccer.

伯考思在足球上获得了佩戴校名首字母标志的荣誉。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

They had stuck to the letter of the law and in my view they should be ashamed.

他们死抠法律字眼。依我看他们应该感到惭愧。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

She obeyed his instructions to the letter.

她分毫不差地遵照他的吩咐去做。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

In contrast, needle N productivity of larch seedlings exhibited a negative relationship with N supply level.

与全株氮生产力的变化不同, 落叶松幼苗的叶氮生产力与供氮水平呈负相关.

期刊摘选

Take the letter to him [ her ; them ].

把信给 人家 送去.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

The letter ended on a cheerful note.

这封信以乐观的口气收尾.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

She guessed that the letter had something to do with her husband.

她猜想这封信与她丈夫有关.

《简明英汉词典》