print

Etymology

From Middle English *printen, prenten, preenten, an apheretic form of emprinten, enprinten (“to impress; imprint”) (see imprint). Compare Dutch prenten (“to imprint”), Middle Low German prenten (“to print; write”), Danish prente (“to print”), Swedish prenta (“to write German letters”). Compare also Late Old French printer, preindre (“to press”), from Latin premere (“to press”).

adj

1. Of, relating to, or writing for printed publications.
   a print edition of a book

verb

1. (transitive) To produce one or more copies of a text or image on a surface, especially by machine; often used with out or off: print out, print off.
   Print the draft double-spaced so we can mark changes between the lines.
2. To produce a microchip (an integrated circuit) in a process resembling the printing of an image.
   The circuitry is printed onto the semiconductor surface.
3. (transitive, intransitive) To write very clearly, especially, to write without connecting the letters as in cursive.
   Print your name here and sign below.
   I'm only in grade 2, so I only know how to print.
4. (transitive, intransitive) To publish in a book, newspaper, etc.
   How could they print an unfounded rumour like that?
   From the moment he prints, he must expect to hear no more truth. 1716, Alexander Pope, The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Preface
5. (transitive) To stamp or impress (something) with coloured figures or patterns.
   to print calico
6. (transitive) To fix or impress, as a stamp, mark, character, idea, etc., into or upon something.
   A look will print a thought that never may remove. c. 1547?, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, Description of the Fickel Affections, Pangs, and Slights of Love
   Upon his breastplate he beholds a dint, / Which in that field young Edward's sword did print. 1629, Sir John Beaumont, Bosworth Field
   some footsteps printed in the clay 1701, Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon, Silenus
7. (transitive) To stamp something in or upon; to make an impression or mark upon by pressure, or as by pressure.
8. (computing, transitive) To display a string on the terminal.
   However, when you print the string you can see only 11 characters (c, a, r, ', s,, w, h, e, e, l). 2010, Chuck Easttom, Advanced JavaScript, Jones & Bartlett Learning, page 217
   On the RHS side we write the current date to the variable date and print it to the terminal window, followed by the string "Chris coming home...." . 2015, Othmar Kyas, How To Smart Home: A Step by Step Guide to Your Personal Internet of Things, Key Concept Press
9. (finance, transitive, intransitive) To produce an observable value.
   On March 16, 2020, the S&P printed at 2,386.13, one of the worst drops in history.
10. (transitive) To fingerprint (a person).
    Maybe we'll get lucky; maybe he was printed for some minor infraction in some backwater town. 1998, Eric Lustbader, Pale Saint, page 24

noun

1. (uncountable) Books and other material created by printing presses, considered collectively or as a medium.
   Three citations are required for each meaning, including one in print.
   TV and the Internet haven't killed print.
2. (uncountable) Clear handwriting, especially, writing without connected letters as in cursive.
   Write in print using block letters.
3. (uncountable) The letters forming the text of a document.
   The print is too small for me to read.
4. (countable) A newspaper.
   I spent my second quarter-century Losing what I had learnt at university And refusing to take in what had happened since. Now I know none of the names in the public prints […] 1978, Philip Larkin, The Winter Palace
5. A visible impression on a surface.
   Using a crayon, the girl made a print of the leaf under the page.
6. A fingerprint.
   Did the police find any prints at the scene?
7. A footprint.
8. (visual art) A picture that was created in multiple copies by printing.
9. (photography) A photograph that has been printed onto paper from the negative.
10. (film">film) A copy of a film">film that can be projected.
11. Cloth that has had a pattern of dye printed onto it.
12. (architecture) A plaster cast in bas relief.