paper

Main Entry:: ¹pa·per
Pronunciation:: \ˈpā-pər\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Middle English papir, from Anglo-French, from Latin papyrus papyrus, paper, from Greek papyros papyrus
Date:: 14th century

1 a (1): a felted sheet of usually vegetable fibers laid down on a fine screen from a water suspension (2): a similar sheet of other material (as plastic) b: a piece of paper2 a: a piece of paper containing a written or printed statement : document <pedigree papers> b: a piece of paper containing writing or print c: a formal written composition often designed for publication and often intended to be read aloud <presented a scholarly paper at the meeting> d: a piece of written schoolwork3: a paper container or wrapper4: newspaper5: the negotiable notes or instruments of commerce6: wallpaper7: tickets ; especially : free passes8: paperback

— on paper

1: in writing <wants these promises on paper>2: in theory <the plan looks good on paper>3: figured at face value <on paper the stock was worth nearly a million dollars>

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