write
write
verb (writes, wrote, written, writing)
OPAL S
/raɪt/
letters/numbers
1 intransitive, transitive to make letters or numbers on a surface, especially using a pen or a pencil
In some countries children don't start learning to read and write until they are six.
write in something Please write in pen on both sides of the paper.
write with something I haven't got anything to write with.
write something Write your name at the top of the paper.
The teacher wrote the answers on the board.
The ‘b’ had been wrongly written as a ‘d’.
Collocations
adverb
clearly
neatly
busily
verb + write
learn to
teach somebody to
be able to…
preposition
inonwith…
book/music/program
2 transitive, intransitive to produce something in written form so that people can read, perform or use it, etc.
write something to write a novel/song/computer program
to write an article/essay
Who was ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ written by?
Which opera did Verdi write first?
He hopes to write a book about his experiences one day.
She had to write a report on the project.
The text is very well written.
The play was originally written for British television.
write about something I wanted to travel and then write about it.
write for something He writes for the ‘New Yorker’ (= works as a writer).
No decision has been made at the time of writing.
write somebody something She wrote him several poems.
TOPICS Literature and writing A1
TOPICS Music A1
Collocations
adverb
beautifully
eloquently
well
verb + write
commission somebody to
inspire somebody to
prompt somebody to…
preposition
about
for
from…
a letter/an email
3 intransitive, transitive to put information, a message of good wishes, etc. in a letter or an email and send it to somebody
Bye! Don't forget to write.
I'm writing to enquire about language courses.
write to somebody She wrote to him in France.
write something to somebody I wrote a letter to the Publicity Department.
write somebody something I wrote the Publicity Department a letter.
write that… She wrote that they were all fine.
write somebody (North American English) Write me while you're away.
write somebody that… (North American English) He wrote me that he would be arriving Monday.
write doing something They wrote thanking us for the present.
state in writing
4 transitive, intransitive to state the information or the words mentioned
write that… The author writes that this theory has now been disproved.
write of something Ancient historians wrote of a lost continent beneath the ocean.
She wrote of her life in Africa.
+ speech ‘Of all my books,’ wrote Dickens, ‘I like this the best.’
form
5 transitive to put information in the appropriate places on a form
write something (out) to write (out) a cheque
write somebody something The doctor wrote her a prescription for more antibiotics.
write somebody out something I'll write you out a receipt.
computing
6 ​transitive, intransitive write (something) to/onto something to record data in the memory of a computer
An error was reported when he tried to write data to the file for the first time.
of pen/pencil
7 ​intransitive to work correctly or in the way mentioned
This pen won't write.
Idioms
be written all over somebody’s face
have something/somebody written all over it/somebody
nothing (much) to write home about
not worth the paper it’s written/printed on
that’s all she wrote
Word Origin
Old English wrītan ‘score, form (letters) by carving, write’, of Germanic origin; related to German reissen ‘sketch, drag’.