dead letter

noun

a law, ordinance, etc., that has lost its force but has not been formally repealed or abolished.
a letter that cannot reach the addressee or be returned to the sender, usually because of incorrect address, and that is sent to and handled in a special division or department ��𲹻�-��t��o��Э�� of a general post office.

dead letter

noun

a letter that cannot be delivered or returned because it lacks adequate directions
a law or ordinance that is no longer enforced but has not been formally repealed
informal.
anything considered no longer worthy of consideration

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Other Word Forms

��𲹻�-��t�� adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of dead letter¹

First recorded in 1570–80

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

This, Kagan says, renders impeachment and conviction virtually a dead letter.

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Now, thanks to Republican opposition in Congress, it could be a dead letter.

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In two other states, Georgia and Mississippi, top Republicans have signaled willingness to discuss expansion this year so the issue isn’t a dead letter.

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That effort would involve rallying deeply anti-spending Republicans around a stopgap funding bill that is likely to be a dead letter in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

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"As a result, the YCC framework seems to have become more of a dead letter."

From

dead leg dead letter box

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