letter

noun

1. 信；函
   a message that is written down or printed on paper and usually put in an envelope and sent to sb
   1. a business/thank-you, etc. letter
      商业信函、感谢信等
   2. a letter of complaint
      投诉书
   3. to post a letter
      寄信
   4. to mail a letter
      寄信
   5. There's a letter for you from your mother.
      有你母亲的一封来信。
   6. You will be notified by letter .
      将用信函通知你。
2. 字母
   a written or printed sign representing a sound used in speech
   1. ‘B’ is the second letter of the alphabet.
      b是字母表的第二个字母。
   2. Write your name in capital/block letters .
      用大写字母书写姓名。
3. （缝制在运动服上的）校运动队字母标志
   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

verb

1. 用字母标明（于清单等上）
   to give a letter to sth as part of a series or list
   1. the stars lettered Alpha and Beta
      以α和β命名的星
2. 把字母印刷（或缝制等）于
   to print, paint, sew, etc. letters onto sth
   1. a black banner lettered in white
      印有白色字母的黑色横幅
3. 领取到学校运动队布制字母标志
   to receive a letter made of cloth that you sew onto your clothes for playing in a school or college sports team

1. N-COUNT 信;信函
   If you write a letter to someone, you write a message on paper and send it to them, usually by post.
   1. I had received a letter from a very close friend.
      我收到一个很要好的朋友的来信。
   2. ...a letter of resignation...
      辞职信
   3. Our long courtship had been conducted mostly by letter.
      我俩长期的恋爱过程基本上靠的是书信。
2. N-COUNT 字母
   Letters are written symbols which represent one of the sounds in a language.
   1. ...the letters of the alphabet.
      字母表中的字母
   2. ...the letter E.
      字母E
3. N-COUNT （校队队衣的）校名首字母标志（以嘉许优秀运动员）
   If a student earns a letter in sports or athletics by being part of the university or college team, they are entitled to wear on their jacket the initial letter of the name of their university or college.
   1. 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。
4. VERB 赢得佩戴校名首字母标志的荣誉
   If a student letters in sports or athletics by being part of the university or college team, they are entitled to wear on their jacket the initial letter of the name of their university or college.
   1. 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。
5. See also: capital letter covering letter dead letter love letter newsletter poison-pen letter
6. PHRASE （钻）法律字眼
   If you say that someone keeps to the letter of the law, you mean that they act according to what is actually written in the law, rather than according to the general principles of it, especially when you disapprove of this.
   1. 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。
7. PHRASE （执行指示）毫厘不爽地，不折不扣地
   If you say that someone carries out instructions to the letter, you mean that they do exactly what they are told to do, paying great attention to every detail.
   1. She obeyed his instructions to the letter.
      她分毫不差地遵照他的吩咐去做。

1. I posted the letter
   我寄了那封信。
2. We received a letter of apology
   我们收到了一封致歉信。
3. I wrote a letter to Daddy
   我给爸爸写了一封信。
4. He wrote a very formal letter of apology to Douglas
   他给道格拉斯写了一封非常正式的道歉信。
5. I hated myself for writing that letter.
   我恨自己写了那封信。
6. The letter mentioned my great-aunt and uncle only incidentally.
   信中仅附带提到了我的姑奶奶和叔叔。
7. His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.
   他的信被特工处截获了。
8. I had received a letter from a very close friend.
   我收到一个很要好的朋友的来信。
9. Our long courtship had been conducted mostly by letter.
   我俩长期的恋爱过程基本上靠的是书信。
10. 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。
11. 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。
12. 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。
13. She obeyed his instructions to the letter.
    她分毫不差地遵照他的吩咐去做。
14. If I write a letter, would you post it for me?
    如果我写封信，你能替我寄出去吗？
15. I posted a letter to Stanley saying I was an old Army friend.
    我给斯坦利寄了封信，说我是他的一个老战友。
16. I gave the letter to our local press and they quoted from it.
    我把信交给了我们当地的媒体，他们引用了其中的一部分内容。
17. I received your letter of November 7.
    我收到了你11月7日的来信。
18. His letter in response to her request had contained a firm refusal.
    对于她的请求他在信中给予了坚决的回绝。
19. I wrote him a letter and posted it straightaway.
    我给他写了封信，并马上寄了出去。
20. I had a letter from my mother last week
    上周我收到了母亲的一封信。
21. If I had written the letter, I might have worded it differently.
    如果换作我写这封信，我或许会用不同的措辞。
22. She entrusted me with mailing this letter.
    她托我寄这封信。
23. He was mentioned in the letter.
    信上提到了他。
24. I have received your letter.
    我收到了你的信。
25. There's no time for me to write a letter to him.
    我来不及写信给他了。
26. We wrote a letter in joint names.
    我们联名写了封信。
27. I noticed a misuse of the word “ who ” in your letter.
    我发现在你的信中误用了who这个词。
28. The letter has been forwarded to him.
    信已经转给他了。
29. I got in touch with him immediately after I received the letter.
    我接信后马上和他联系。

n.

the letter of the law

• 法律（或法规）的准确字面意义
  the exact words of a law or rule rather than its general meaning
  1. They insist on sticking to the letter of the law.
     他们坚持严守法律的字面意义。

to the letter

• 丝毫不差；不折不扣；精确地
  doing/following exactly what sb/sth says, paying attention to every detail
  1. I followed your instructions to the letter.
     我是严格遵照你的指示办的。

noun

1. a written message addressed to a person or organization
   1. mailed an indignant letter to the editor

   Synonym:    missive

2. an award earned by participation in a school sport
   1. he won letters in three sports

   Synonym:    varsity letter

3. the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech
   1. his grandmother taught him his letters

   Synonym:    letter of the alphabetalphabetic character

4. a strictly literal interpretation (as distinct from the intention)
   1. he followed instructions to the letter
   2. he obeyed the letter of the law

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

verb

1. mark letters on or mark with letters

2. set down or print with letters

3. win an athletic letter