pa·per

(pā′pər)

1. A material made of cellulose pulp, derived mainly from wood, rags, and certain grasses, processed into flexible sheets or rolls by deposit from an aqueous suspension, and used chiefly for writing, printing, drawing, wrapping, and covering walls.

2. A single sheet of this material.

3. One or more sheets of paper bearing writing or printing, especially:

a. A formal written composition intended to be published, presented, or read aloud; a scholarly essay or treatise.

b. A piece of written work for school; a report or theme.

c. often papers An official document, especially one establishing the identity of the bearer.

4. papers A collection of letters, diaries, and other writings, especially by one person: the Madison papers.

5. Short-term debt instruments, especially commercial paper.

6. A newspaper.

7. Wallpaper.

8. A wrapper made of paper, often with its contents: a paper of pins.

9. Slang

a. A free pass to a theater.

b. The audience admitted with free passes.

tr.v. pa·pered, pa·per·ing, pa·pers

1. To cover, wrap, or line with paper.

2. To cover with wallpaper.

3. To supply with paper.

4. Slang To issue free passes for (a theater, for example).

5. To construct (something) in haste and with little forethought: papered together a new coalition of political convenience.

adj.

1. Made of paper.

2. Resembling paper, as in thinness or flimsiness.

3. Of or relating to clerical work: paper duties.

a. Existing only in printed or written form: paper profits; a paper corporation.

b. Planned but not realized; theoretical.

Phrasal Verb:

paper over

1. To put or keep out of sight; conceal: paper over a deficit with accounting gimmicks.

2. To downplay or gloss over (differences, for example), especially in order to maintain a nominal, apparent, or temporary unity.

Idioms:

in paper

With a paperback binding; as a paperback.

on paper

1. In writing or print.

2. In theory, as opposed to actual performance or fact: It is a good team on paper, but its members play poorly together.

[Middle English, from Old French papier, from Latin papȳrus, papyrus plant, papyrus paper, from Greek papūros.]

pa′per·er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

papers - writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

document, written document

piece of writing, written material, writing - the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect); "the writing in her novels is excellent"; "that editorial was a fine piece of writing"

clause, article - a separate section of a legal document (as a statute or contract or will)

preamble - a preliminary introduction to a statute or constitution (usually explaining its purpose)

ballot - a document listing the alternatives that is used in voting

brevet - a document entitling a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily (but without higher pay)

capitulation - a document containing the terms of surrender

certificate, credential, credentials, certification - a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts

charter - a document incorporating an institution and specifying its rights; includes the articles of incorporation and the certificate of incorporation

commercial document, commercial instrument - a document of or relating to commerce

confession - a written document acknowledging an offense and signed by the guilty party

copyright, right of first publication - a document granting exclusive right to publish and sell literary or musical or artistic work

inclosure, enclosure - something (usually a supporting document) that is enclosed in an envelope with a covering letter

form - a printed document with spaces in which to write; "he filled out his tax form"

legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument - (law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right

papyrus - a document written on papyrus

patent, patent of invention - a document granting an inventor sole rights to an invention

political platform, political program, platform, program - a document stating the aims and principles of a political party; "their candidate simply ignored the party platform"; "they won the election even though they offered no positive program"

resignation - a formal document giving notice of your intention to resign; "he submitted his resignation as of next month"

resolution, resolve, declaration - a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

source - a document (or organization) from which information is obtained; "the reporter had two sources for the story"

specification - (patent law) a document drawn up by the applicant for a patent of invention that provides an explicit and detailed description of the nature and use of an invention

voucher - a document that serves as evidence of some expenditure

report, written report, study - a written document describing the findings of some individual or group; "this accords with the recent study by Hill and Dale"

Translations

documentación documentos papeles

papiers

iratok

papers

[ˈpeɪpəz] npl (writings, documents) → carte fpl; (identity papers) → documenti mpl (di riconoscimento)
old papers → scartoffie fpl
Churchill's private papers → gli scritti or i documenti privati di Churchill

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

"I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers and files of the old papers, following the future career of every vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in

View in context

My subject is Greek, and the first of the papers consists of a large passage of Greek translation which the candidate has not seen.

View in context

What does it matter how I took possession of the papers in his iron box?

View in context

"There were twenty-three snipped papers," resumed Brown unmoved, "and only twenty-two pieces snipped off.

View in context

He paid for the arsenic, and took it away with him wrapped up in two papers, the outer wrapper being labeled with my name and address, and with the word 'Poison' in large letters--exactly like the label now produced on the piece of paper found at Gleninch."

View in context

I'll be at the hotel in a little while, and since I'm not going a step into the office again, bring all papers to sign and the rest over to my rooms.

View in context

When he was dressed, Stepan Arkadyevitch sprinkled some scent on himself, pulled down his shirt-cuffs, distributed into his pockets his cigarettes, pocketbook, matches, and watch with its double chain and seals, and shaking out his handkerchief, feeling himself clean, fragrant, healthy, and physically at ease, in spite of his unhappiness, he walked with a slight swing on each leg into the dining-room, where coffee was already waiting for him, and beside the coffee, letters and papers from the office.

View in context

After examining the papers, the King put them away and promised him an order on the Lord High Treasurer of the Extortion Department for a million tumtums.

View in context

To my unspeakable disappointment I found but few papers of any kind to examine.

View in context

For instance, my Heidelberg daily was always twenty-four hours old when it arrived at the hotel; but one of my Munich evening papers used to come a full twenty-four hours before it was due.

View in context

"Among them odd heaps of old papers, this gentleman, when he comes into the property, naturally begins to rummage, don't you see?" said Mr.

View in context

De Witt, after having said some few words to Cornelius, the meaning of which the prying neighbour could not read in the movement of his lips, took from his breast pocket a white parcel, carefully sealed, which Boxtel, judging from the manner in which Cornelius received it, and placed it in one of the presses, supposed to contain papers of the greatest importance.

View in context