envelope
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envelope
a flat paper cover or wrapper: Put the letter into an envelope.
Not to be confused with:
envelop – to wrap around; enfold; hide; enclose: Envelop the area with high walls.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
en·ve·lope
(ĕn′və-lōp′, ŏn′-)n.
Idiom: 1. A flat paper container, especially for a letter, usually having a gummed flap.
2. Something that envelops; a wrapping.
3. Biology An enclosing structure or cover, such as a membrane or the outer coat of a virus.
4. The bag containing the gas in a balloon or airship.
5. The set of limitations within which a technological system, especially an aircraft, can perform safely and effectively.
6. Astronomy
a. A usually spherical region of interstellar matter surrounding a forming star and interacting with the star's gravitational and radiation fields.
b. The coma of a comet.
7. Mathematics A curve or surface that is tangent to every one of a family of curves or surfaces.
push the envelope
To exceed or try to exceed the existing limits of a discipline or activity.
[French enveloppe, from envelopper, to envelop, from Old French envoloper; see envelop.]
Usage Note: Some people dislike the pronunciation (ŏn′və-lōp′), arguing that it is pretentious for being pseudo-French and that it is unnecessary, since there is a perfectly acceptable Anglicized pronunciation, (ĕn′və-lōp′). But the pronunciation with (ŏn) is gaining in acceptability: in our 1992 survey, 30 percent of the Usage Panel used it exclusively, and another 9 percent used it occasionally; by 2011, 46 percent selected it as their preferred pronunciation. Both forms should be considered standard.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
envelope
(ˈɛnvəˌləʊp; ˈɒn-)n
1. a flat covering of paper, usually rectangular in shape and with a flap that can be folded over and sealed, used to enclose a letter, etc
2. any covering or wrapper
3. (Biology) biology any enclosing structure, such as a membrane, shell, or skin
4. (Aeronautics) the bag enclosing the gas in a balloon
5. (Mathematics) maths a curve or surface that is tangent to each one of a group of curves or surfaces
6. (Electronics) electronics the sealed glass or metal housing of a valve, electric light, etc
7. (General Physics) telecomm the outer shape of a modulated wave, formed by the peaks of successive cycles of the carrier wave
8. push the envelope informal to push the boundaries of what is possible
[C18: from French enveloppe, from envelopper to wrap around; see envelop; sense 8 from aeronautics jargon, referring to graphs of aircraft performance]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
en•ve•lope
(ˈɛn vəˌloʊp, ˈɑn-)n.
1. a flat paper container, as for a letter or thin package, usu. having a gummed flap or other means of closure.
2. something that envelops; a wrapper or surrounding cover.
3. a surrounding or enclosing part, as an integument or an outer membrane.
4. Geom. a curve or surface tangent to each member of a set of curves or surfaces.
5. the fabric structure enclosing the gasbag of an aerostat.
6. the gasbag itself.
7. the airtight glass or metal housing of a vacuum tube.
8. the technical limits within which an aircraft or electronic system may be safely operated.
Idioms: push the envelope, to stretch established limits, as in technological advance or social innovation.
[1700–10; < French enveloppe, derivative of envelopper to envelop]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  envelope - a flat (usually rectangular) container for a letter, thin package, etc.container - any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another) window envelope - an envelope with a transparent panel that reveals the address on the enclosure |
| 2. | envelope - any wrapper or covering | |
| 3. | envelope - a curve that is tangent to each of a family of curves curve, curved shape - the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes | |
| 4. | envelope - a natural covering (as by a fluid); "the spacecraft detected an envelope of gas around the comet" covering, natural covering, cover - a natural object that covers or envelops; "under a covering of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover" | |
| 5. | envelope - the maximum operating capability of a system (especially an aircraft); "test pilots try to push the envelope" operating capability, performance capability - the capability of a technological system to perform as intended | |
| 6. | envelope - the bag containing the gas in a balloon bag - a flexible container with a single opening; "he stuffed his laundry into a large bag" balloon - large tough nonrigid bag filled with gas or heated air |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
envelope
noun wrapping, casing, case, covering, cover, skin, shell, coating, jacket, sleeve, sheath, wrapper She opened the envelope and withdrew a typed note.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
sobre de carta
obálka
konvolutkuvert
ümbrik
kirjekuori
omotnicakovertaomotač
borítéklevélboríték
umslag
封筒
봉투
vokas
aploksneapvalks
plic
obálka
ovojnica
kuvertomslaghöljehyllekonvolut
ซองจดหมาย
phong bì
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
envelope
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
envelope
(ˈenvələup) noun a thin, flat wrapper or cover, especially for a letter. The letter arrived in a long envelope.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
envelope
→ ظَرْف obálka konvolut Briefumschlag φάκελος sobre kirjekuori enveloppe omotnica busta 封筒 봉투 envelop konvolutt koperta envelope конверт kuvert ซองจดหมาย zarf phong bì 信封Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
en·ve·lope
1. n. sobre, objeto de papel de uso postal;
2. cubierta;
cápsula.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012