Part 729

A middle course between the rigor of literal translations and the liberty of paraphrasts.

Hooker.

3. Consisting of, or expressed by, letters.

The literal notation of numbers was known to Europeans before the ciphers.

Johnson.

4. Giving a strict or literal construction; unimaginative; matter-of-fact; -- applied to persons.

Literal contract (Law), a contract of which the whole evidence is given in writing. Bouvier. -- Literal equation (Math.), an equation in which known quantities are expressed either wholly or in part by means of letters; -- distinguished from a numerical equation.

Lit"er*al, n. Literal meaning. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Lit"er*al*ism (-z'm), n. 1. That which accords with the letter; a mode of interpreting literally; adherence to the letter.

2. (Fine Arts) The tendency or disposition to represent objects faithfully, without abstraction, conventionalities, or idealization.

Lit"er*al*ist, n. One who adheres to the letter or exact word; an interpreter according to the letter.

Lit`er*al"i*ty (-l"*t), n. [Cf. F. littéralité.] The state or quality of being literal. Sir T. Browne.

Lit`er*al*i*za"tion (lt`r*al**z"shn), n. The act of literalizing; reduction to a literal meaning.

Lit"er*al*ize (lt"r*al*z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Literalized (-zd); p. pr. & vb. n. Literalizing (-`zng).] To make literal; to interpret or put in practice according to the strict meaning of the words; -- opposed to spiritualize; as, to literalize Scripture.

Lit"er*al*i`zer (-`zr), n. A literalist.

Lit"er*al*ly, adv. 1. According to the primary and natural import of words; not figuratively; as, a man and his wife can not be literally one flesh.

2. With close adherence to words; word by word.

So wild and ungovernable a poet can not be translated literally.

Dryden.

Lit"er*al*ness, n. The quality or state of being literal; literal import.

Lit"er*a*ry (lt"r**r), a. [L. litterarius, literarius, fr. littera, litera, a letter: cf. F. littéraire. See Letter.]

1. Of or pertaining to letters or literature; pertaining to learning or learned men; as, literary fame; a literary history; literary conversation.

He has long outlived his century, the term commonly fixed as the test of literary merit.

Johnson.

2. Versed in, or acquainted with, literature; occupied with literature as a profession; connected with literature or with men of letters; as, a literary man.

In the literary as well as fashionable world.

Mason.

Literary property. (a) Property which consists in written or printed compositions. (b) The exclusive right of publication as recognized and limited by law.