ALL meanings of dead letter
dead let·ter
D d - countable noun dead letter If you say that a law or agreement is a dead letter, you mean that it still exists but people ignore it. 3
- noun dead letter a letter that cannot be delivered or returned because it lacks adequate directions 3
- noun dead letter a law or ordinance that is no longer enforced but has not been formally repealed 3
- noun dead letter anything considered no longer worthy of consideration 3
- noun dead letter a law, practice, etc. no longer enforced or operative but not formally done away with 3
- noun dead letter a letter that cannot be delivered or returned, as because of incorrect address and lack of return address 3
- noun dead letter a law, ordinance, etc., that has lost its force but has not been formally repealed or abolished. 1
- noun dead letter a letter that cannot reach the addressee or be returned to the sender, usually because of incorrect address, and that is sent to and handled in a special division or department (dead-letter office) of a general post office. 1
- noun dead letter An item of mail that cannot be delivered to its intended recipient; after some time it is returned to the sender, or destroyed. 0
- noun dead letter (by extension) A law or other measure that is no longer enforced. 0
- noun dead letter (by extension) Anything that has lost its authority or influence despite still being in existence or formally in force. 0