Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Letter \Let"ter\, n. [OE. lettre, F. lettre, OF. letre, fr. L.
   littera, litera, a letter; pl., an epistle, a writing,
   literature, fr. linere, litum, to besmear, to spread or rub
   over; because one of the earliest modes of writing was by
   graving the characters upon tablets smeared over or covered
   with wax. --Pliny, xiii. 11. See {Liniment}, and cf.
   {Literal}.]
   1. A mark or character used as the representative of a sound,
      or of an articulation of the human organs of speech; a
      first element of written language.

            And a superscription also was written over him in
            letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. --Luke
                                                  xxiii. 38.

   2. A written or printed communication; a message expressed in
      intelligible characters on something adapted to
      conveyance, as paper, parchment, etc.; an epistle.

            The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and
            natural.                              --Walsh.

   3. A writing; an inscription. [Obs.]

            None could expound what this letter meant.
                                                  --Chaucer.

   4. Verbal expression; literal statement or meaning; exact
      signification or requirement.

            We must observe the letter of the law, without doing
            violence to the reason of the law and the intention
            of the lawgiver.                      --Jer. Taylor.

            I broke the letter of it to keep the sense.
                                                  --Tennyson.

   5. (Print.) A single type; type, collectively; a style of
      type.

            Under these buildings . . . was the king's printing
            house, and that famous letter so much esteemed.
                                                  --Evelyn.

   6. pl. Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters.

   7. pl. A letter; an epistle. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

   {Dead letter}, {Drop letter}, etc. See under {Dead}, {Drop},
      etc.

   {Letter book}, a book in which copies of letters are kept.

   {Letter box}, a box for the reception of letters to be mailed
      or delivered.

   {Letter carrier}, a person who carries letters; a postman;
      specif., an officer of the post office who carries letters
      to the persons to whom they are addressed, and collects
      letters to be mailed.

   {Letter cutter}, one who engraves letters or letter punches.
      

   {Letter lock}, a lock that can not be opened when fastened,
      unless certain movable lettered rings or disks forming a
      part of it are in such a position (indicated by a
      particular combination of the letters) as to permit the
      bolt to be withdrawn.

            A strange lock that opens with AMEN.  --Beau. & Fl.

   {Letter paper}, paper for writing letters on; especially, a
      size of paper intermediate between note paper and
      foolscap. See {Paper}.

   {Letter punch}, a steel punch with a letter engraved on the
      end, used in making the matrices for type.

   {Letters of administration} (Law), the instrument by which an
      administrator or administratrix is authorized to
      administer the goods and estate of a deceased person.

   {Letter of attorney}, {Letter of credit}, etc. See under
      {Attorney}, {Credit}, etc.

   {Letter of license}, a paper by which creditors extend a
      debtor's time for paying his debts.

   {Letters close or clause} (Eng. Law.), letters or writs
      directed to particular persons for particular purposes,
      and hence closed or sealed on the outside; --
      distinguished from letters patent. --Burrill.

   {Letters of orders} (Eccl.), a document duly signed and
      sealed, by which a bishop makes it known that he has
      regularly ordained a certain person as priest, deacon,
      etc.

   {Letters patent}, {overt}, or {open} (Eng. Law), a writing
      executed and sealed, by which power and authority are
      granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right;
      as, letters patent under the seal of England.

   {Letter-sheet envelope}, a stamped sheet of letter paper
      issued by the government, prepared to be folded and sealed
      for transmission by mail without an envelope.

   {Letters testamentary} (Law), an instrument granted by the
      proper officer to an executor after probate of a will,
      authorizing him to act as executor.

   {Letter writer}.
      (a) One who writes letters.
      (b) A machine for copying letters.
      (c) A book giving directions and forms for the writing of
          letters.

Drop \Drop\, n. [OE. drope, AS. dropa; akin to OS. dropo, D.
   drop, OHG. tropo, G. tropfen, Icel. dropi, Sw. droppe; and
   Fr. AS. dre['o]pan to drip, drop; akin to OS. driopan, D.
   druipen, OHG. triofan, G. triefen, Icel. drj?pa. Cf. {Drip},
   {Droop}.]
   1. The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical
      mass; a liquid globule; a minim; hence, also, the smallest
      easily measured portion of a fluid; a small quantity; as,
      a drop of water.

            With minute drops from off the eaves. --Milton.

            As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my
            sad heart.                            -- Shak.

            That drop of peace divine.            --Keble.

   2. That which resembles, or that which hangs like, a liquid
      drop; as a hanging diamond ornament, an earring, a glass
      pendant on a chandelier, a sugarplum (sometimes
      medicated), or a kind of shot or slug.

   3. (Arch.)
      (a) Same as {Gutta}.
      (b) Any small pendent ornament.

   4. Whatever is arranged to drop, hang, or fall from an
      elevated position; also, a contrivance for lowering
      something; as:
      (a) A door or platform opening downward; a trap door; that
          part of the gallows on which a culprit stands when he
          is to be hanged; hence, the gallows itself.
      (b) A machine for lowering heavy weights, as packages,
          coal wagons, etc., to a ship's deck.
      (c) A contrivance for temporarily lowering a gas jet.
      (d) A curtain which drops or falls in front of the stage
          of a theater, etc.
      (e) A drop press or drop hammer.
      (f) (Mach.) The distance of the axis of a shaft below the
          base of a hanger.

   5. pl. Any medicine the dose of which is measured by drops;
      as, lavender drops.

   6. (Naut.) The depth of a square sail; -- generally applied
      to the courses only. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.

   7. Act of dropping; sudden fall or descent.

   {Ague drop}, {Black drop}. See under {Ague}, {Black}.

   {Drop by drop}, in small successive quantities; in repeated
      portions. ``Made to taste drop by drop more than the
      bitterness of death.'' --Burke.

   {Drop curtain}. See {Drop}, n., 4.
      (d) .

   {Drop forging}. (Mech.)
      (a) A forging made in dies by a drop hammer.
      (b) The process of making drop forgings.

   {Drop hammer} (Mech.), a hammer for forging, striking up
      metal, etc., the weight being raised by a strap or similar
      device, and then released to drop on the metal resting on
      an anvil or die.

   {Drop kick} (Football), a kick given to the ball as it
      rebounds after having been dropped from the hands.

   {Drop lake}, a pigment obtained from Brazil wood. --Mollett.

   {Drop letter}, a letter to be delivered from the same office
      where posted.

   {Drop press} (Mech.), a drop hammer; sometimes, a dead-stroke
      hammer; -- also called drop.

   {Drop scene}, a drop curtain on which a scene is painted. See
      {Drop}, n., 4.
      (d) .

   {Drop seed}. (Bot.) See the List under {Glass}.

   {Drop serene}. (Med.) See {Amaurosis}.