Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Literal
Lit′er-al
(lĭt′ẽr-al)
, Adj.
1.
According to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical;
as, the
. literal
meaning of a phraseIt hath but one simple
literal
sense whose light the owls can not abide. Tyndale.
2.
Following the letter or exact words; not free.
A middle course between the rigor of
literal
translations and the liberty of paraphrasts. Hooker.
3.
Consisting of, or expressed by, letters.
The
literal
notation of numbers was known to Europeans before the ciphers. Johnson.
4.
Giving a strict or literal construction; unimaginative; matter-of-fact; – applied to persons.
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
.Lit′er-al
,Noun.
Literal meaning.
[Obs.]
Sir T. Browne.
Webster 1828 Edition
Literal
LIT'ERAL
,Adj.
1.
According to the letter; primitive; real; not figurative or metaphorical; as the literal meaning of a phrase.2.
Following the letter or exact words; not free; as a literal translation.3.
Consisting of letters.The literal notation of numbers was known to Europeans before the ciphers.
LIT'ERAL
,Noun.