[f. LETTER sb.1]
1. (Now commonly written letterpress.) Matter printed from letters or types, as distinguished from what is printed from plates. Also attrib., as in letterpress printing (for which the use of the word in this sense may be elliptical).
1758–65. Goldsm., Ess., ii. Four extraordinary pages of letter-press.
a. 1764. Lloyd, Puff, Poet. Wks. 1774, I. 176. Plain letter-press shall do the feat.
1772. Hartford Merc., 18 Sept., Suppl. 4/3. Letter-press Printing is neatly perform’d.
1802–12. Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), III. 473, note. In the case of letter press, any such alterations are as yet, perhaps, without example.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 711. Plaster of Paris … is poured over the letter-press page.
1828. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. III. Introd. 1. They who condescend to read the letter-press will have the advantage of my fair correspondent.
1840. Lardner, Geom., 137. In letter-press printing, the types … are put together … with their faces upwards.
1860–1. Flor. Nightingale, Nursing, ii. 11. The places where … letter-press printers … have to work for their living.
1861. Sat. Rev., 7 Dec., 591. William and Mary Howitt have contributed the letterpress.
1889. Spectator, 14 Dec., 830. In this cartoon, and the letterpress concerning it, are commemorated [etc.].
2. A weight to keep one or more letters in place.
1848. C. A. Johns, Week at Lizard, 78. They [pieces of rock] are often worked into … letter-presses, &c.
3. A press for taking copies of letters.
1901. Westm. Mag., 13 June, 9/2. Van Helden … slipped a handcuff upon his wrist, and fastened the other to the letter-press.
