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." Milton.
Then to his hands that writ he did betake, Which he disclosing read,
thus as the paper spake.
Spenser.
Babylon, so much spoken of in Holy Writ.
Knolles.
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.
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 formulæ 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.
Writ`a*bil"i*ty (?), n. Ability or capacity to write. [R.] Walpole.
Writ"a*ble (?), a. Capable of, or suitable for, being written down.
Writ"a*tive (?), a. Inclined to much writing; — correlative to
talkative. [R.] Pope.
Write (?), v. t. [imp. Wrote (?); p. p. Written (?); Archaic imp. & p.
p. Writ (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Writing.] [OE. writen, AS. wrtan;
originally, to scratch, to score; akin to OS. wrtan to write, to tear,
to wound, D. rijten to tear, to rend, G. reissen, OHG. rzan, Icel. rta
to write, Goth. writs a stroke, dash, letter. Cf. Race tribe, lineage.]
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.
Shak.