paper

paper [pā′pər]

n.

[ME papir < OFr papier < L papyrus < Gr papyros,PAPYRUS]

1. a thin, flexible material made usually in sheets from a pulp prepared from rags, wood, or other fibrous material, and used for writing or printing on, for packaging, as structural material, as a fabric substitute, etc.

2. a single piece or sheet of paper

3. a printed or written sheet; specif.,

a) an official document

b) an essay, monograph, or dissertation, as read before a learned society, published in a scholarly journal, etc.

c) a written examination, report, theme, etc.

4.

a) COMMERCIAL PAPER

b) PAPER MONEY

5. short for:

a) NEWSPAPER

b) WALLPAPER

6. a small wrapper or card of paper, usually including its contents [a paper of pins]

7. any material like paper, as papyrus

8. [pl.]

a) documents identifying a person; credentials

b) a collection of documents, letters, writings, etc., esp. of one person [the Lincoln papers]

9. Slang

a) a free pass or passes to a theater, etc.

b) the people admitted by free passes

adj.

1. of paper; made of paper

2. like paper; thin

3. existing only in written or printed form; theoretical; not real [paper profits]

vt.

1. to cover or line with paper; specif., to cover or decorate with wallpaper

2. to wrap or enclose in paper

3. Slang to help to fill (a theater, etc.) by issuing free passes

4. Archaic to describe in writing

vi.

to hang wallpaper

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on paper

1. in written or printed form

2. in theory

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paper over

to conceal or try to cover up (differences, difficulties, unpleasant facts, etc.)

paperer

n.