Literal

Literal
Literal Lit"er*al (l[i^]t"[~e]r*al), a. [F. lit['e]ral, litt['e]ral, L. litteralis, literalis, fr. littera, litera, a letter. See {Letter}.] 1. According to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical; as, the literal meaning of a phrase. [1913 Webster]

It hath but one simple literal sense whose light the owls can not abide. --Tyndale. [1913 Webster]

2. Following the letter or exact words; not free. [1913 Webster]

A middle course between the rigor of literal translations and the liberty of paraphrasts. --Hooker. [1913 Webster]

3. Consisting of, or expressed by, letters. [1913 Webster]

The literal notation of numbers was known to Europeans before the ciphers. --Johnson. [1913 Webster]

4. Giving a strict or literal construction; unimaginative; matter-of-fact; -- applied to persons. [1913 Webster]

{Literal contract} (Law), a contract of which the whole evidence is given in writing. --Bouvier.

{Literal equation} (Math.), an equation in which known quantities are expressed either wholly or in part by means of letters; -- distinguished from a {numerical equation}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Literal — puede referirse a: Lo relativo a la letra (no debe confundirse con literario) Lo que se lee o reproduce al pie de la letra (completamente y con exactitud) Lenguaje literal por oposición al lenguaje figurativo (que utiliza recursos que alteran la… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Literal — may refer to:*Literal and figurative language, taken in a non figurative sense. *Literal translation, the close adherence to the forms of a source language text. *Terminal symbol in regular expressions and in descriptions of formal grammars.… …   Wikipedia

  • literal — [lit′ər əl] adj. [ME litterall < MFr litteral < LL litteralis < L littera, LETTER1] 1. of, involving, or expressed by a letter or letters of the alphabet [literal notation] 2. following or representing the exact words of the original;… …   English World dictionary

  • literal — LITERÁL, Ă, literali, e, adj. 1. Care se face, se reproduce etc. cuvânt cu cuvânt, literă cu literă; textual, exact. 2. (mat.) Care conţine mărimi notate cu litere. – Din fr. littéral, lat. litteralis. Trimis de LauraGellner, 09.11.2008. Sursa:… …   Dicționar Român

  • literal — adjetivo 1. Que es fiel a la letra del texto o a su sentido exacto y propio, y no lo interpreta: traducción literal, significado literal. 2. Que reproduce un texto o un discurso palabra por palabra: cita literal. Estas fueron sus palabras… …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • literal — (adj.) late 14c., taking words in their natural meaning (originally in reference to Scripture and opposed to mystical or allegorical), from O.Fr. literal and directly from L.L. literalis/litteralis of or belonging to letters or writing, from L.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Literal — Lit er*al, n. Literal meaning. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • literal — I adjective accurate, authentic, careful, close, correct, exact, factual, faithful, faultless, meticulous, precise, rigid, scrupulous, strict, textual, to the letter, true, true to fact, truthful, unchanged, uncorrupted, undeviating, undistorted …   Law dictionary

  • literal — (Del lat. litterālis). 1. adj. Conforme a la letra del texto, o al sentido exacto y propio, y no lato ni figurado, de las palabras empleadas en él. 2. Dicho de una traducción: En que se vierten todas y por su orden, en cuanto es posible, las… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • literal — adj. 2 g. 1. Da letra. 2. Conforme à letra ou ao texto. 3. Sujeito ao rigor das palavras. 4. Terminante, claro. 5.  [Matemática] Diz se das quantidades representadas por letras do alfabeto …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

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