mail

Everyday

1. Mail is the letters and parcels sent by post. tree →
2. Mail is the system that carries them: send it by mail. tree →
3. To mail something is to send it by post. tree →
4. Mail is short for email. tree →
5. Mail (or chain mail) is armour made of small metal rings, worn by knights. tree →

In the lessons

In maths mail is items counted, sent or delivered: per day × days, or each × price of a stamp. Mailing takes the items away from the sender. In everyday life: checking the mail, a mailbox, junk mail, mailing a birthday card to Grandma. In safety: never open mail or emails from strangers that ask for passwords.

Examples

• She mailed 12 cards. tree →
• The mail carrier delivers 300 letters a day. tree →
• Each stamp for the mail costs 1 dollar. tree →
• How many letters in a week? tree →
• Is there any mail for me today? tree →
• I mailed a postcard from the beach. tree →
• Lots of the mail was junk mail. tree →
• Check your mail for the class newsletter. tree →
• The knight wore a shirt of chain mail. tree →
• "Tan-ta-ra-ra, tan-ta-ra-ra," sounded the horn, and the mail-coach came lumbering up. tree →

Note

Uncountable: «some mail», «a lot of mail» (not «a mail»); for one item say «a letter» or «a parcel». «Mail» is common in the USA and Canada; «post» in the UK, Ireland and Australia. Homophone: «male» (a boy or man). Maths trap: mailing takes the items away from the sender.

In Jewish tradition

It means a coat or robe with a woven opening, like armour, for the neck of the priest's robe.

Interpretation. Tradition sees the strong binding around the neck hole of the priest's robe as a sign of care and holiness in the priestly clothes.

Examples

• and the hole of the robe in the midst thereof, as the hole of a coat of mail, with a binding round about the hole of it, that it should not be rent. (Torah EXO.39.23, JPS 1917) tree →
• Mailer, Efiii/niphisclie fMiikinalei' aiis Ara/iieii, Vienna 18S9, p. 19. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• Harness the horses, and mount, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail. (Prophets JER.46.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging. (Writings 2CH.26.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. (Prophets 1SA.17.38, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Uncountable: «some mail», «a lot of mail» (not «a mail»); for one item say «a letter» or «a parcel». «Mail» is common in the USA and Canada; «post» in the UK, Ireland and Australia. Homophone: «male» (a boy or man). Maths trap: mailing takes the items away from the sender.