write
[verb]
Synonyms: record, draft, draw up, inscribe, jot down, pen, scribble, set down

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Related Idioms: push one's pen, put in writing, take down
Related Words: dot (down), jot, note, chalk, pen, pencil, scratch, scrawl, scribble, draft, draw, make out, write down, write up

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English Thesaurus: sign, indication, evidence, symptom, indicator, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

write S1 W1 /raɪt/ verb (past tense wrote /rəʊt $ roʊt/, past participle written /ˈrɪtn/)
[Word Family: noun: writer, writing, rewrite; verb: write, rewrite; adjective: written ≠ unwritten]
[Language: Old English; Origin: writan 'to scratch, draw, write']

1. BOOK/ARTICLE/POEM ETC
a) [intransitive and transitive] to produce a new book, article, poem etc:
He wrote some very famous books.
Who wrote ‘Harry Potter’?
I can’t come with you – I have an essay to write.
write about
O'Brien often writes about her native Ireland.
well/badly/poorly etc written
The article is very well written.
b) [intransitive] someone who writes earns money by writing books, plays, articles etc:
Sean decided he wanted to write, and quit his job.
write for
Maureen Dowd writes for ‘The New York Times’.

2. LETTER [intransitive and transitive] to put words in a letter to someone
write to
I’ve written to my MP, and to the city council.
write somebody American English:
Chris hasn’t written me for a long time.
I wrote her several letters, but she didn’t reply.

3. FORM WORDS [intransitive and transitive] to form letters or numbers with a pen or pencil:
Kerry could read and write when she was five.

4. STATE SOMETHING [transitive] to state something in a book, letter, advertisement etc, or on a label
write (that)
Isabella wrote that she was dying, and asked him to visit her for the last time.
be written on something
The price is written on the label.

5. MUSIC/SONG [transitive] to write a piece of music or a song:
Mozart wrote the music.
The song was originally written by Leonard Cohen.

6. COMPUTER PROGRAM [transitive] to make a program for a computer to use:
He writes software programs for financial institutions.

7. A COMPUTER RECORDS SOMETHING [intransitive and transitive] if a computer writes something, it records it on a disk or in its memory
write to/onto
data that had been written to disk

8. CHEQUE/DOCUMENT ETC (also write out) [transitive] to write information on a cheque, form etc:
Wouldn’t it be easier if I just wrote a cheque for the lot?
The doctor wrote me a prescription for sleeping pills.

9. PEN [intransitive] if a pen writes, it works properly:
Do any of these pens write?

10. have something/be written all over your face to show very clearly what you are feeling or thinking:
He had guilt written all over his face.
I know you’re lying, Tyrell – it’s written all over your face.

11. have something written all over it to show a particular quality or fact very clearly:
This awful film has ‘career-killer’ written all over it for the actors involved.

12. nothing to write home about informal not particularly good or special:
The hotel was good, but the food was nothing to write home about.

13. somebody wrote the book on something spoken used to say that someone knows a lot about a subject or is very good at an activity:
Motorola wrote the book on quality control.

14. that’s all she wrote American English spoken used to mean that you cannot stop what happens next in a situation, especially when it is bad
⇒ write-up

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

write
verb
I. form letters and words on paper
ADV. clearly, neatly Children must learn to write neatly.
busily She was busily writing in an exercise book.
down, out I'd better write this down, otherwise I'll forget it.
VERB + WRITE learn to | teach sb to
PREP. on He wrote a list on the back of an old envelope.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

write
II. produce a piece of writing
ADV. beautifully, well | badly | clearly the ability to write clearly in plain English
extensively He has written extensively on the subject.
anonymously
VERB + WRITE commission sb to He has been commissioned to write a history of the town.
inspire sb to, prompt sb to She was inspired to write the poem by a visit to the cathedral.
PREP. about a journalist who writes about problems in the developing world
for She writes for ‘The Times’.
of She wrote of her life in Africa.
on He writes on political issues.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

write
verb
1.
BAD: I'd like to apologize for not having written you before.
GOOD: I'd like to apologize for not having written to you before.

Usage Note:
In British English you write to a person or place (WITH to ): 'Wingate wrote to his father, asking for more money.'
In American English to is optional: 'I'll write (to) you and give you all the latest news.'

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2.
BAD: Dear ... I write to you to ask for your advice.
GOOD: Dear ... I am writing to you to ask for your advice.

Usage Note:
For actions which are happening at the time when they are mentioned, use the present progressive tense (NOT the present simple): 'I'm writing to tell you that I'll be coming to London next Thursday.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

sign [countable] an event, fact etc that shows that something is happening or that something is true or exists:
The curtains were still drawn and there was no sign of activity.
A score of 80 or more is a sign that you are doing very well.
indication [countable] a sign. Indication is more formal than sign:
Recently there have been several indications of improving relations.
There was no indication the killings were related to the drug trade.
evidence [uncountable] facts or signs that show clearly that something exists or is true, especially something that you are trying to prove:
Scientists are hoping to find evidence that there was once life on Mars.
There was not enough evidence to convict him of the murder.
symptom [countable] a sign that someone has an illness or that a serious problem exists:
The first symptoms are tiredness and loss of weight.
Is this a symptom of the decay of Western civilization?
indicator [countable] a sign that shows you what is happening or what is true – used about a process, or about the state or level of something:
There are a number of indicators of economic slowdown.
The tests are considered a good indicator of intelligence.
signal [countable] a sign that shows that you should do something, or that you have a particular attitude:
Severe chest pain is a warning signal that cannot be ignored.
Legalizing drugs could send the wrong signal to young people.
mark [countable] a sign, especially that you respect or honour someone:
People stood in silence as a mark of respect.
It was a mark of her popularity that so many colleagues and friends attended the presentation.
write to use a pen or pencil to make words, letters etc:
Have you written a shopping list?
The children are learning to read and write.
write something down to write something on paper, in order to remember it or make a record:
He wrote down everything she said.
put to write something in a particular place, or to write particular words:
I’ve put the dates of the meetings in my diary.
At the end of the email she put ‘PS I love you’.
put something in writing to write something that you have agreed or promised, so that there is an official record:
They said they would pay me 50%, but they haven’t actually put it in writing.
make a note of something to write information that you might need later:
I’ll just make a note of your address.
Make a note in your diary.
take notes to write things while someone is speaking or while something is happening, so that you can use them later:
His lawyer was with him taking notes.
scrawl /skrɔːl $ skrɒːl/ to write something carelessly and untidily, especially in big letters – often used to show disapproval:
Someone had scrawled graffiti on the school wall.
He’d scrawled a few unhelpful comments at the bottom of my work.
fill something in/out to write information on a form or other official document:
Please fill in the application form in black ink.
Would you mind filling out a questionnaire?
sign to write your name at the end of a letter, document etc:
Read the contract carefully, and then sign it.
Don’t forget to sign your name.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

write to use a pen or pencil to make words, letters etc:
Have you written a shopping list?
The children are learning to read and write.
write something down to write something on paper, in order to remember it or make a record:
He wrote down everything she said.
put to write something in a particular place, or to write particular words:
I’ve put the dates of the meetings in my diary.
At the end of the email she put ‘PS I love you’.
put something in writing to write something that you have agreed or promised, so that there is an official record:
They said they would pay me 50%, but they haven’t actually put it in writing.
make a note of something to write information that you might need later:
I’ll just make a note of your address.
Make a note in your diary.
take notes to write things while someone is speaking or while something is happening, so that you can use them later:
His lawyer was with him taking notes.
scrawl /skrɔːl $ skrɒːl/ to write something carelessly and untidily, especially in big letters – often used to show disapproval:
Someone had scrawled graffiti on the school wall.
He’d scrawled a few unhelpful comments at the bottom of my work.
fill something in/out to write information on a form or other official document:
Please fill in the application form in black ink.
Would you mind filling out a questionnaire?
sign to write your name at the end of a letter, document etc:
Read the contract carefully, and then sign it.
Don’t forget to sign your name.
jot something down to write something very quickly:
Start your essay by jotting down a few ideas.
He checked the meter and jotted something down.
scribble to write something quickly and in an untidy way:
Andy scribbled a quick note and handed it to the chairman.
I’ve scribbled something here but I can’t read it now.
enter to make words or numbers appear on a computer screen by pressing the keys:
You have to enter your password twice.
The patients medical records are entered into a database.
key something in/type something in to write or record information on a computer, especially something you are copying:
I’ve keyed in my credit card details.
To visit our website, just type in our the address.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲