a. [ F. litéral, littéral, L. litteralis, literalis, fr. littera, litera, a letter. See Letter. ] 1. According to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical; as, the literal meaning of a phrase. [ 1913 Webster ]

It hath but one simple literal sense whose light the owls can not abide. Tyndale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Following the letter or exact words; not free. [ 1913 Webster ]

A middle course between the rigor of literal translations and the liberty of paraphrasts. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Consisting of, or expressed by, letters. [ 1913 Webster ]

The literal notation of numbers was known to Europeans before the ciphers. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Giving a strict or literal construction; unimaginative; matter-of-fact; -- applied to persons. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Literal meaning. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which accords with the letter; a mode of interpreting literally; adherence to the letter. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Fine Arts) The tendency or disposition to represent objects faithfully, without abstraction, conventionalities, or idealization. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who adheres to the letter or exact word; an interpreter according to the letter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. littéralité. ] The state or quality of being literal. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of literalizing; reduction to a literal meaning. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Literalized p. pr. & vb. n. Literalizing ] To make literal; to interpret or put in practice according to the strict meaning of the words; -- opposed to spiritualize; as, to literalize Scripture. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A literalist. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. With close adherence to words; word by word. [ 1913 Webster ]

So wild and ungovernable a poet can not be translated literally. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being literal; literal import. [ 1913 Webster ]