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 ]
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