Webster's English Dictionary

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type

1. type \'ti-p\ n [LL typus, fr. L & Gk; L typus image, fr. Gk typos blow, 
   impr] often attrib ession, model, fr. typtein to strike, beat; akin to L 
   stuprum defilement 1a: a person or thing (as in the Old Testament) believed 
   to foreshadow anot her (as in the New Testament) 1b: one having qualities 
   of a higher category : MODEL  1c: a lower taxonomic category selected as a 
   standard of reference for a hi gher category; also : a specimen or series 
   of specimens on which a taxonomic species or subspecies is actually based 
   2: a distinctive mark or sign  3a: a rectangular block typically of metal 
   or wood bearing a relief charact er from which an inked print is made 3b: a 
   collection of such blocks  3c: TYPEFACE  3d: printed letters  4a: qualities 
   common to a number of individuals that distinguish them as an  identifiable 
   class : as 4a1: the morphological, physiological, or ecological characters 
   by which re lationship between organisms may be recognized 4a2: the form 
   common to all instances of a word  4b: a typical and often superior 
   specimen  4c: a particular kind, class, or group : as  4c1: a taxonomic 
   category essentially equivalent to a division or phylum  4c2: a group 
   distinguishable on physiologic or serological bases  4c3: one of a 
   hierarchy of mutually exclusive classes in logic suggested to  avoid 
   paradoxes 4d: something distinguishable as a variety : SORT R: TYPE may 
   suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included 
   so that each is typical of the group; KIND and SORT imply a group with less 
   explicit resemblances; KIND may suggest natural grouping; SORT often 
   suggests some disparagement; NATURE may imply inherent, essential 
   resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses; DESCRIPTION 
   implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as 
   described or defined; CHARACTER implies a group marked by distinctive 
   likenesses peculiar to the type SYN syn KIND, SORT, NATURE, DESCRIPTION, 
   CHARACTE 
2. type vt 1: to represent beforehand as a type : PREFIGURE  2: to produce 
   a copy of; also : REPRESENT, TYPIFY  3: TYPEWRITE  4: to identify as 
   belonging to a type : as  4a: to determine the natural type of (as a blood 
   sample)  4b: TYPECAST  : TYPEWRITE