in the following sentence, what does the work "writs" mean? bills?
You know people send mother writs, don't you, uncle?"
writ 1 (rĭt) Pronunciation Key
n.
Law A written order issued by a court, commanding the party to whom it is addressed to perform or cease performing a specified act.
Writings: holy writ.
[Middle English, from Old English.]
I would lean on connotation here, it could mean orders (to pay, to cease, demands, or similar). I wonder what Mom has been up to?
And of course Shakespeare's usage in Much Ado about nothing...Leonato's lines..."This says she now when she is beginning to write to him; for she'll be up twenty times a night, and there will she sit in her smock till she have writ a sheet of paper: my daughter tells us all."
I included this remembering my Grandfather used the word as part of his vocabulary.
In order to determine the meaning of the word "writs" in the given sentence, we need to analyze the context in which it is used. Here's what we can do step by step:
1. Read the sentence: "You know people send mother writs, don't you, uncle?"
2. Look for clues within the sentence: The word "writs" is mentioned in relation to people sending them to the speaker's mother. The speaker is asking their uncle whether or not he knows about this.
3. Understand the word "writs": A "writ" is a legal document issued by a court, typically requiring someone to do or stop doing something. It is often used to initiate legal proceedings or command a specific action.
4. Analyze the context: Given the usage of the word "writs" in relation to sending them to the speaker's mother, it is unlikely that "writs" refers to bills. Instead, it suggests that the speaker's mother is receiving legal documents or court orders.
Therefore, in this context, the word "writs" means legal documents or court orders sent to the speaker's mother.