I. ˈtekst noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French texte, from Old French, from Medieval Latin textus text, passage, Scripture, from Latin, texture, tissue, structure, context, from past participle of texere to construct, weave — more at technical
1.
a.
(1) : the original written or printed words and form of a literary work
apologize for … methods of softening or otherwise changing the text of the letters — J.S.Bassett
no room to print full texts of important speeches in Congress — Herbert Agar
(2) : an edited or emended copy of the wording of an original work
the text that was printed showed the results of an editor's blue pencil
prepared a new text of the Shakespearean comedies
b. : a work containing such text
pleased with the autographed text the young poet had given him
the revised text did not sell as well as its predecessor
2.
a. : the main body of printed or written matter on a page exclusive of headings, running title, footnotes, illustrations, or margins
b. : the principal part of a book exclusive of the front and back matter
use roman numerals in preliminary pages, arabic in text
c. : the printed score of a musical composition
strictly observed the text of the preludes and fugues and resisted individual interpretation
3.
a.
(1) : a verse or passage of Scripture chosen especially for the subject of a sermon or for authoritative support (as in a question of doctrine)
these outlines … and Scriptural texts will be excellent supplementary material in the preparation of sermons — Lenten & Easter Cat.
then, mustering texts to justify his course … proceeded to baptize himself — George Willison
(2) : a passage from an authoritative source providing an introduction or basis (as for an essay, speech, or lecture)
one brief phrase which might form the text to an exhaustive treatise — Bernard Groom
uses that text … as the point of departure — A.T.Weaver
b. : something providing a chief source of information or authority
my text for this chapter is … any good daily newspaper — Weston La Barre
Confucianism provided, in the main, the text for the cultivation of feudal loyalty — A.M.Young
c. : textbook
a text in chemistry, designed for use in a high school — Chemistry at Work
included three Greek plays on the list of texts for his humanities course
4.
a. : text hand
b. : a type considered suitable for printing running text
5.
a. : a subject on which one writes or speaks : theme , topic
writers who hold forth glibly on that text — Douglas Bush
b. : the form and substance of something written or spoken
the text of the appeal was a closely reasoned, eloquent and occasionally rhetorical argument against slavery — Martha Gruening
the text of their conversation consists … of a recital of the exact order of action which is habitual on such an expedition — E.D.Chapple & C.S.Coon
6. : the words of something (as a poem, libretto, scriptural passage, folktale) set to music
in all vocal compositions a complete text for every voice part is given in the music — Carl Parrish & J.F.Ohl
many hundred texts and tunes of English-Canadian folk songs — Report: (Canadian) Royal Commission on National Development
II. transitive verb
obsolete : to write in large letters
III. noun
1. : matter chiefly in the form of words that is treated as data for processing by computerized equipment
2. : framework 3
updated to fit the women's lib text for consciousness raising — Judith Crist
3.
a. : something (as a story or movie) considered as an object to be examined, explicated, or deconstructed
b. : something resembling a text (as in suitability for analysis)
the surfaces of daily life are texts to be explicated — Michiko Kakutani
he ceased to be a teacher as he became a text — D.J.Boorstin