letterbox

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See also: letter box and letter-box

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

letter +‎ box

Letterboxes next to a stop sign in California

Noun

letterbox (plural letterboxes)

  1. (chiefly UK) A box into which mail is put.
    Synonym: (chiefly US) mailbox
    1. A collection point for mail intended for onward delivery, a secure box or receptacle for this purpose.
      Synonyms: post box, (UK) pillar box
    2. A delivery point for mail, a box, compartment or slot for this purpose.
      Synonym: (US) mail slot
      A wad of junk mail was pushed through the letterbox in the front door and dropped onto the mat.
  2. A hidden container that holds a logbook and rubber stamp, found by following clues as a form of recreation.
  3. (mountaineering) A rectangular hole or slot.
    • 1954, Daniel Talbot, A Treasury of Mountaineering Stories, page 239:
      His strength was running out fast: one more good letterbox was all that he could conceive himself able to make. He made it, hacking away with slow, painful strokes, his axe-handle slippery with his sweat.

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Further reading

Adjective

letterbox (not comparable)

  1. (film) Transferred to home video formats while preserving the original aspect ratio, having black bars above and below the picture area.

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Verb

letterbox (third-person singular simple present letterboxes, present participle letterboxing, simple past and past participle letterboxed)

  1. (film) To transfer a widescreen motion picture to home video formats while preserving the original aspect ratio, with the placing of black bars above and below the picture area.
  2. To hunt for letterboxes (containers with logbook and rubber stamp) by following clues.

Related terms

Further reading

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