write (redirected from wrote down)

nothing to write home about

Fig. mediocre; not as good as you expected. I went to that new restaurant last night. It's nothing to write home about. Jill: I went to see a movie last night. Jane: How was it? Jill: Nothing to write home about.

See also: home, nothing

Remember to write, and Don't forget to write. 

1. Lit. a final parting comment made to remind someone going on a journey to write to those remaining at home. Alice: Bye. Mary: Good-bye, Alice. Remember to write. Alice: I will. Bye. Sally: Remember to write! Fred: I will!

2. Fig. a parting comment made to someone in place of a regular good-bye. (Jocular.) John: See you tomorrow. Bye. Jane: See you. Remember to write. John: Okay. See you after lunch. Jane: Yeah. Bye. Remember to write.

See also: remember

write (up)on someone or something 

1. . to write about someone or something. (Upon is very formal here and much less commonly used than on.) I had to write an essay, so I wrote on my uncle. What are you going to write upon?

2. . to write on someone's skin or some thing. (Upon is formal and much less commonly used than on.) Don't write on Billy. After all, he's your brother. Who wrote on this page of the book?

3. . to use someone [such as some one's back] or something as a flat base to support something that is being written upon. I have to sign this check. Here, let me write on you. Do you mind if I write on your desk? I just need to sign this. 771 writer's block

write someone or something about something

to send an inquiry or statement to someone in writing about someone or something. I will write her about what you just told me. Sarah wrote the company about the faulty merchandise.

write someone or something off

to drop someone or something from consideration. The manager wrote Tom off for a promotion. I wrote off that piece of swampy land as worthless. It can't be used for anything.

write someone or something off (as a something)

1. . to give up on turning someone or something into something. I had to write Jill off as a future executive. The company wrote off the electric automobile as a dependable means of transportation. He would never work out. We wrote him off.

2. . to give up on someone or something as a dead loss, waste of time, hopeless case, etc. Don't write me off as a has-been. We almost wrote off the investment as a dead loss.

3. . to take a charge against one's taxes. Can I write this off as a deduction, or is it a dead loss? Can I write off this expense as a tax deduction?

write someone or something up

to write an article about someone or something. A reporter wrote me up for the Sunday paper. I wrote up a local business and sent the story to a magazine, but they didn't buy the story.

See also: up

write someone down as something

to list someone's name, noting something. I'll write you down as a contributor. Can I write you down as a charter member?

write someone for something

to send a written request to someone for something. Henry wrote Harry for a firm quote, but Harry never responded. Did you write me for permission?

write someone in (on something)

to write the name of someone in a special place on a ballot, indicating a vote for the person. (Done when the person's name is not already printed on the ballot.) Please write my name in on the ballot. I wrote in your name on the ballot.

write something against someone or something

to write something in opposition to someone or something. I wrote an article against her proposal, but they refused to print it. Sarah wrote an essay against the president.

See also: against

write something back to someone

to write a letter answering someone. I wrote an answer back to her the same day that I received the letter. Will you please write something back to Julie? She complains that you are ignoring her. I wrote a letter back to Harry, explaining what had happened.

See also: back

write something down

to make a note of something; to record something in writing. Please write this down. Please write down what I tell you.

write something into something and write something in 

1. to write information into something. I wrote her telephone number into my notebook. I wrote in her number. I took out my notebook and wrote it in.

2. . to include a specific statement or provision in a document, such as a contract or agreement. I want you to write a stronger security clause into my contract. I will write in a stronger clause.

write something off

to absorb a debt or a loss in accounting. The bill couldn't be collected, so we had to write it off. The bill was too large, and we couldn't write off the amount. We decided to sue.

write something off (on one's taxes)

to deduct something from one's income taxes. Can I write this off on my income taxes? I'll write off this trip on my taxes. Oh, yes! Write it off!

write something out 

1. to spell or write a number or an abbreviation. Don't just write "7," write it out. Please write out all abbreviations, such as Doctor for Dr.

2. . to put thoughts into writing, rather than keeping them in memory. Let me write it out. Then I won't forget it. Karen wrote out her objections.

See also: out

write something to someone 

1. to send specific information to someone in writing. I wrote the facts to John, and he thanked me for the information. They wrote all the details to me, and I filed them.

2. to compose a letter or e-mail and send it to someone. Sam wrote a letter to his father. Did you write that memo to Mark yet?

write something to something

to write something that is supplementary to something else. Molly wrote an epilogue to her story covering the time up till now. I will write the introduction to the book this afternoon.

write something up

to prepare a bill, order, or statement. Please write the order up and send me a copy. As soon as I finish writing up your check, I'll bring you some more coffee.

See also: up

write about someone or something

to write a narrative or description of someone or something. I wanted to write about wild canaries, but there is not much to say. Sally writes about famous people.

write against someone or something

to oppose someone or something in writing. John writes against the current administration too harshly. Almost everyone enjoys writing against the CIA.

See also: against

write away

to write a lot; to continue writing. There he was, writing away, not paying attention to anything else. I spent the entire afternoon writing away, having a fine, productive time.

See also: away

write away for something

to send for something in writing, from a distant place. I wrote away for a book on the rivers of the world. You will have to write away for another copy of the instruction manual.

See also: away

write back to someone

to write a letter to someone in return for a letter received from someone. I wrote back to her at once, but I have heard no more from her. Please write back to me when you have a chance.

See also: back

write down to someone

to write to someone condescendingly. You should never write down to your audience if you want to be convincing. I have to write down to them, because they are very young.

write for something 

1. . to write and request something. I wrote for clarification but received none. Julie wrote for another copy of the instruction book.

2. . to produce writing for a particular kind of publication. I write for science magazines. Sam writes for the local newspaper.

write in (to something) (for something)

to send a written request to something for something in particular. Please write in for a detailed recipe of all the dishes on today's program. I am going to write in for a clarification.

write of someone or something

to write about the general topic of someone or something. He wrote of the beauty of nature and the way we are destroying it. She wrote of Henry, her ancient house cat.

write off (to someone) (for something)

to send a written request for something away to someone. I wrote off to my parents for some money, but I think they are ignoring me. I wrote off for money. I need money so I wrote off to my parents.

write on and on

to write too much; to write endlessly. You tend to write on and on. Try to focus on one point and leave it at that. I think you write on and on just to fill up space.

See also: and

write to someone

to compose a letter or e-mail and send it to someone. I will write to her again, but I don't expect to hear anything. Please write to me as soon as you can.

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be nothing much to write home about  also not much to write home about

to not be especially good or exciting The food was OK, but nothing to write home about.

See fit on the back of a postage stamp

See also: home, much, nothing

fit/write something on the back of a postage stamp

if you say you could write what you know about a subject on the back of a postage stamp, you mean you know very little about that subject What I know about car maintenance could be written on the back of a postage stamp.

See also: back, fit, postage, stamp

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nothing to write home about

not something that is especially good or exciting The food was all right but nothing to write home about.

Usage notes: often used as a humorous way to describe something that is obviously bad: War is nothing to write home about.

See also: home, nothing

write somebody/something off also write off somebody/something

to decide that someone or something is not important Most critics wrote him off as a minor artist until he received that huge grant. Everyone had pretty much written off the team after they lost their tournament last week. Americans no longer dream of their children becoming president - in fact, many write it off as not worth the effort.

write in (something)

to send a letter or electronic message to an organization or business A lot of customers write in their complaints and get nothing from the company in response. Write in today and let us know what you think.

write off something also write something off

1. to accept that a debt will not be paid Last year the bank wrote off $17 million in bad loans. I'll probably never see the money I loaned my brother, so I guess I'll write it off.

2. to charge something as a business expense You can write off your cell phone and all the costs of service for it. I'm giving the furniture to a local church and writing it off as a donation.

3. to decide that something will not be successful For a long time, both political parties have written off the Greens. Since they behave oddly, people tend to write them off as weirdos, but many members of the group are important business people.

write up something also write something up

to tell about something by writing it We had such a wonderful trip, I wanted to write it up in my diary before I forgot a lot of details.

Usage notes: often said about creating a finished document: We have to write up the lab report for this chemistry experiment.

See also: up