write off

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

   2. 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.

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.

4. To set down in writing.

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

6. To disparage in writing.

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

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

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

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

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

12. To cancel from accounts as a loss.

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

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

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

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

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

18. To overstate the value of (assets).

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Word History: Every western Indo-European language except English derives its verb for "to write" from Latin scrībere: 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 wrītan, 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 wrītan 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.