Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Mail?

\Mail\, n. A spot. [Obs.]
\Mail\, n. [F. maille, OF. also maaille, LL. medalia. See {Medal}.] 1. A small piece of money; especially, an English silver half-penny of the time of Henry V. [Obs.] [Written also {maile}, and {maille}.] 2. Rent; tribute. [Obs., except in certain compounds and phrases, as blackmail, mails and duties, etc.] {Mail and duties} (Scots Law), the rents of an estate, in whatever form paid.
\Mail\, n. [OE. maile, maille, F. maille a ring of mail, mesh, network, a coat of mail, fr. L. macula spot, a mesh of a net. Cf. {Macle}, {Macula}, {Mascle}.] 1. A flexible fabric made of metal rings interlinked. It was used especially for defensive armor. --Chaucer. {Chain mail}, {Coat of mail}. See under {Chain}, and {Coat}. 2. Hence generally, armor, or any defensive covering. 3. (Naut.) A contrivance of interlinked rings, for rubbing off the loose hemp on lines and white cordage. 4. (Zo["o]l.) Any hard protective covering of an animal, as the scales and plates of reptiles, shell of a lobster, etc. We . . . strip the lobster of his scarlet mail. --Gay.
\Mail\, v. t. 1. To arm with mail. 2. To pinion. [Obs.]
\Mail\, n. [OE. male bag, OF. male, F. malle bag, trunk, mail, OHG. malaha, malha, wallet; akin to D. maal, male; cf. Gael. & Ir. mala, Gr. ? hide, skin.] 1. A bag; a wallet. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 2. The bag or bags with the letters, papers, papers, or other matter contained therein, conveyed under public authority from one post office to another; the whole system of appliances used by government in the conveyance and delivery of mail matter. There is a mail come in to-day, with letters dated Hague. --Tatler. 3. That which comes in the mail; letters, etc., received through the post office. 4. A trunk, box, or bag, in which clothing, etc., may be carried. [Obs.] --Sir W. Scott. {Mail bag}, a bag in which mailed matter is conveyed under public authority. {Mail boat}, a boat that carries the mail. {Mail catcher}, an iron rod, or other contrivance, attached to a railroad car for catching a mail bag while the train is in motion. {Mail guard}, an officer whose duty it is to guard the public mails. [Eng.] {Mail train}, a railroad train carrying the mail.
\Mail\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Mailed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Mailing}.] To deliver into the custody of the postoffice officials, or place in a government letter box, for transmission by mail; to post; as, to mail a letter. [U. S.] Note: In the United States to mail and to post are both in common use; as, to mail or post a letter. In England post is the commoner usage.