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Dead Letter for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: dɛd_'lɛtər

What does Dead Letter really mean?

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Alright, so "dead letter" is kind of a funny phrase. It doesn't actually mean a letter that's, you know, no longer alive! Instead, it's a term that's used to describe a letter or other piece of mail that can't be delivered to the person it's meant for.

Imagine you're sending a letter to your friend, but you accidentally write the wrong address on the envelope. The post office tries to deliver it, but they can't find your friend's house because of the wrong address. That letter is now considered a "dead letter" because it's pretty much stuck and can't get to its destination.

Another way "dead letter" is used is in a more general sense, like when something is no longer useful or can't be acted upon. It's like when you have an idea that doesn't make sense anymore, so you say it's a "dead letter" because there's no point in talking about it.

So in simpler terms, "dead letter" means a letter or piece of mail that can't be delivered, or something that's not useful anymore. It's kind of like when you throw out a piece of paper because it's all crumpled and torn and can't be used. It's just a way of saying that something is no longer good for anything.

But don't worry! It's totally normal to come across words or phrases that seem strange at first. And now that we've talked about it, you'll always know what "dead letter" means! Cool, right?

Revised and Fact checked by Sophia Wright on 2023-11-15 05:54:33

Dead Letter In a sentece

Learn how to use Dead Letter inside a sentece

  • When a letter is not delivered because the address is wrong, it becomes a dead letter.
  • If someone sends a letter to an old address, it will likely become a dead letter because the person no longer lives there.
  • A letter that is lost in the mail and cannot find its way to the recipient may be considered a dead letter.
  • If a letter is not properly stamped or addressed, it might end up as a dead letter in the post office.
  • When a letter is returned to the sender because the recipient cannot be found, it is labeled as a dead letter.

Dead Letter Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Dead Letter Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.