write off

write (r

v. wrote (r

t), writ·ten (r

n) also writ (r

t), writ·ing, writes

v.tr.

a. To form (letters, words, or symbols) on a surface such as paper with an instrument such as a pen.

b. To spell: How do you write your name?

2. To form (letters or words) in cursive style.

3. To compose and set down, especially in literary or musical form: write a poem; write a prelude.

4. To draw up in legal form; draft: write a will.

5. To fill in or cover with writing: write a check; wrote five pages in an hour.

6. To express in writing; set down: write one's thoughts.

7. To communicate by correspondence: wrote that she was planning to visit.

8. To underwrite, as an insurance policy.

9. To indicate; mark: "Utter dejection was written on every face" (Winston S. Churchill).

10. To ordain or prophesy: It was written that the empire would fall.

11. Computer Science To transfer or copy (information) from memory to a storage device or output device.

v.intr.

1. To trace or form letters, words, or symbols on paper or another surface.

2. To produce written material, such as articles or books.

3. To compose a letter; communicate by mail.

Phrasal Verbs:

write down

1. To set down in writing.

2. To reduce in rank, value, or price.

3. To disparage in writing.

4. To write in a conspicuously simple or condescending style: felt he had to write down to his students.

write in

1. To cast a vote by inserting (a name not listed on a ballot).

2. To insert in a text or document: wrote in an apology at the end of the note.

3. To communicate with an organization by mail: write in with a completed entry form.

write off

1. To reduce to zero the book value of (an asset that has become worthless).

2. To cancel from accounts as a loss.

3. To consider as a loss or failure: wrote off the rainy first day of the vacation.

write out

1. To express or compose in writing: write out a request.

2. To write in full or expanded form: All abbreviations are to be written out.

write up

1. To write a report or description of, as for publication.

2. To bring (a journal, for example) up to date.

3. To overstate the value of (assets).

4. To report (someone) in writing, as for breaking the law. wrote him up for speeding.

Idioms:

write (one's) own ticket

To set one's own terms or course of action entirely according to one's own needs or wishes: an open-ended and generous scholarship that lets recipients write their own ticket.

writ large

Signified, expressed, or embodied in a greater or more prominent magnitude or degree: "The man was no more than the boy writ large" (George Eliot).

[Middle English writen, from Old English wrtan.]

Word History: Every western Indo-European language except English derives its verb for "to write" from Latin scrbere: écrire in French, escribir in Spanish, scrivere in Italian, scribaim in Old Irish, ysgrifennu in Welsh, skriva in Breton, skrifa in Old Norse, skrive in Danish and Norwegian, skriva in Swedish, schreiben in German, schrijven in Dutch. The Old English verb "to write" is wrtan, from a Germanic root *writ- that derives from an Indo-European root *wreid- meaning "to cut, scratch, tear, sketch an outline." German still retains this meaning in its cognate verb reissen, "to tear." Only Old English employed wrtan to refer to writing, that is, scratching on parchment with a pen. English shows a similar contrariness in its verb read, being almost the only western European language not to derive its verb for that concept from Latin legere.

write off

vb (tr, adverb)

1. (Economics, Accounting & Finance / Accounting & Book-keeping) Accounting

a. to cancel (a bad debt or obsolete asset) from the accounts

b. to consider (a transaction, etc.) as a loss or set off (a loss) against revenues

c. to depreciate (an asset) by periodic charges

d. to charge (a specified amount) against gross profits as depreciation of an asset

2. to cause or acknowledge the complete loss of

3. (Business / Commerce) to send a written order for (something) she wrote off for a brochure

4. (Engineering / Automotive Engineering) Informal to damage (something, esp a car) beyond repair

n write-off

1. (Economics, Accounting & Finance / Accounting & Book-keeping) Accounting

a. the act of cancelling a bad debt or obsolete asset from the accounts

b. the bad debt or obsolete asset cancelled

c. the amount cancelled against gross profits, corresponding to the book value of the bad debt or obsolete asset

2. (Engineering / Automotive Engineering) Informal something damaged beyond repair, esp a car

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Verb	1.	write off - concede the loss or worthlessness of something or somebody; "write it off as a loss" acknowledge, admit - declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of; "He admitted his errors"; "She acknowledged that she might have forgotten"
	2.	write off - write something fluently, and without hesitation indite, pen, write, compose - produce a literary work; "She composed a poem"; "He wrote four novels"
	3.	write off - cancel (a debt) strike down, cancel - declare null and void; make ineffective; "Cancel the election results"; "strike down a law"
	4.	write off - reduce the estimated value of something; "For tax purposes you can write off the laser printer" expense, write down depreciate - lower the value of something; "The Fed depreciated the dollar once again"

Translations

? write off

vi = write away

vt sep

(= write quickly) → (schnell) hinschreiben; essay, poem → herunterschreiben

debt, losses → abschreiben; (fig: = regard as failure) → abschreiben; don’t write him off just yet → schreib ihn noch nicht ganz ab

car etc (driver) → zu Schrott fahren (inf); (insurance company) → als Totalschaden abschreiben

Mentioned in	?		References in classic literature	?		Dictionary browser	?		Full browser	?
accounting amortize business deduction cancellation deduction depreciate entertainment deduction exemption expense indite nonentity tax benefit tax break tax deduction tax write-off total w/o wear and tear writ large			Firkin with the news, that she thought proper to write off by that very night's post, "with her humble duty to Mrs. Vanity Fair by Thackeray, William Makepeace View in context The owners write off twenty per cent of the cost of their schooners each year. South Sea Tales by London, Jack View in context			writ of error writ of execution writ of habeas corpus Writ of inquiry writ of mandamus Writ of possession Writ of privilege writ of prohibition Writ of protection Writ of recaption writ of right writ of summons Writ of tresayle Writability writable Writative write write about write away write back write copy write down write in write in code write of write off write on write out write protection write up write-down write-in write-in candidate write-off write-only write-protect write-protected write-up writer Writer of the tallies Writer to the signet writer's block writer's cramp writer's name writer’s cramp writerly Writers Writership writhe writhed writhen			Write from the Beginning Write Handling Control Register write head Write Here in Plain Sight Write Here Right Now Write Image Write Improved SOWs Easily write in write in write in write in write in Write in candidate write in code Write in Peace Write in Poll Option write inhibit ring write into write into write into write into write into Write Many Read Always Write Many Visit Many Write Me Back Write Me Back Soon Write Me Real Soon write notes for write of write of write off Write Offs Write Offs Write Offs Write Offs write on write on write on write on and on write on the back of a postage stamp Write on the Record Write once Write once Write once CD Write once CD Write Once Memory Write Once Read Memory Write once read never Write once run anywhere Write once run everywhere Write Once, Deploy Anywhere Write Once, Read Never Write Once, Read Occasionally Write once, run anywhere Write once, run anywhere write once-read many write once-read many write once-read many Write once-run anywhere Write One Visit One Write only