{
    "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’."
}