envelopeen‧ve‧lope /ˈenvələʊp $ -loʊp/ ●●● S3 noun [countable] 
a thin paper cover in which you put and send a letter: 
envelopes and stamps She tore open the envelope and frantically read the letter. He got a job stuffing envelopes (=filling them with letters) at the campaign headquarters. → sae, SASE2a layer of something that surrounds something elseenvelope of an envelope of gases around the planet3push the envelope especially American English to try to go beyond the normal limits of something: a musician who pushes the envelope of improvisationCOLLOCATIONSverbsopen an envelope· I opened the envelope, pulled out the document and read it.tear/rip open an envelope (=open it quickly and roughly)· My fingers trembled as I tore open the envelope.slit open an envelope (=open it by cutting it)· I quickly slit open the envelope.seal an envelope (=close it)· She sealed the envelope and stuck on a stamp.stuff envelopes (=to put letters or documents into many envelopes, for example as part of a political campaign)· We need volunteers to stuff envelopes and deliver leaflets.adjectivesa pre-paid/stamped-addressed envelope (=with a stamp/a stamp and an address already on it)· A copy of the rules can be obtained by sending a stamped-addressed envelope to the above address.a self-addressed envelope (=one with your own name and address on)· Enclose a self-addressed envelope with your application form.a brown/white etc envelope· There was a large brown envelope on his desk.a manila envelope (=made from strong brown paper)a sealed envelope (=one that is firmly closed)· The contract was delivered by special messenger in a sealed envelope.phraseson the back of an envelope (=used to describe a calculation or plan that is written down quickly on any available small piece of paper)· She scribbled a few ideas on the back of an envelope.
WORD ORIGINenvelope
Origin:
1700-1800 French enveloppe, from Old French envoloper; ➔ ENVELOPEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Cornelius sat himself down and regarded the envelopes with suspicion.
- Entries must be on the back of a postcard or envelope no bigger than 5in × 6in. 2.
- That night at the meeting, Karen had a big brown envelope in her bag.
- The small jet wallowed in the sky, on the edge of the envelope of control.
- The solution is also obvious - please check envelopes are not too tightly packed, if in doubt use a bigger envelope!
- With trembling hands Mr Utterson opened the envelope.
WORD SETS
address, verbaddressee, nounaerogramme, nounairmail, nounbox number, nouncertified mail, nounChristmas card, nounc/o, compliment slip, nouncorrespond, verbcorrespondence, nouncorrespondent, nouncovering letter, nouncover letter, noundate stamp, noundead letter, noundirect mail, nounenclose, verbenclosure, nounenvelope, nounepistle, nounesquire, nounexpress, nounexpress mail, nounfirst class, nounfirst-class, adjectiveforward, verbforwarding address, nounFPO, frank, verbfranking machine, nounFreepost, noungeneral delivery, nounJiffy bag, nounjunk mail, nounletterbox, nounlove letter, nounmailbag, nounmailbox, nounmail carrier, nounmail drop, nounmailer, nounmailing list, nounmailman, nounmailshot, nounmail train, nounmanila, nounmissive, nounmoney order, nounnote card, nounnotelet, nounnotepaper, nounnr, p & p, packet boat, nounparcel, nounparcel post, nounpcm, pen friend, nounpen pal, nounpigeonhole, nounpillar box, nounPO, PO Box, nounpoison-pen letter, nounpost, nounpost, verbpostage, nounpostage meter, nounpostage stamp, nounpostal, adjectivepostal order, nounpostbag, nounpostbox, nounpostcard, nounpostcode, nounposte restante, nounpostie, nounpostman, nounpostmark, nounpostmaster, nounpostmistress, nounpost office, nounpost office box, nounpostscript, nounpp., PPS, nounPS, nounredirect, verbregister, verbregistered post, nounreply-paid, adjectiveRR, sae, nounsalutation, nounSASE, nounsecond class, nounself-addressed, adjectivesender, nounsnail mail, nounsorting office, nounspecial delivery, nounstamp, nounstamp, verbstamped addressed envelope, nounsurface mail, nounthird class, nounvalentine, nounwriting paper, nounX, nounzip code, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope (=with your address on it so it can be sent back to you).
· I opened the envelope, pulled out the document and read it.
(=open it quickly and roughly)· My fingers trembled as I tore open the envelope.
(=open it by cutting it)· I quickly slit open the envelope.
(=close it)· She sealed the envelope and stuck on a stamp.
(=to put letters or documents into many envelopes, for example as part of a political campaign)· We need volunteers to stuff envelopes and deliver leaflets.
adjectives (=with a stamp/a stamp and an address already on it)· A copy of the rules can be obtained by sending a stamped-addressed envelope to the above address.
(=one with your own name and address on)· Enclose a self-addressed envelope with your application form.
· There was a large brown envelope on his desk.
(=made from strong brown paper)
(=one that is firmly closed)· The contract was delivered by special messenger in a sealed envelope.
phrases (=used to describe a calculation or plan that is written down quickly on any available small piece of paper)· She scribbled a few ideas on the back of an envelope.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope (=with your address on it so it can be sent back to you).· Jenkins handed Talbot a sealed envelope.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Please send the attached booking form to the above address with a stamped, addressed envelope.· They also enclose stamped addressed envelopes so that these samples can be returned to the Institute with little trouble.· Only pictures with a stamped addressed envelope will be returned.· Deliberately - very deliberately - he had enclosed no stamped addressed envelope.· We enclose a stamped, addressed envelope for the courtesy of your reply.· For a free copy send a large stamped addressed envelope to Jos Joslin, Ridgeway Officer,.· Checking charts for Belfast Telegraph Plan 82 are available if you write to me enclosing a stamped addressed envelope.· Letters requiring a personal reply must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope or a self addressed envelope and international reply coupons.
· When he brings his hands out of his pockets, the newspaper masks the brown envelope that he is holding.· The salary was packaged in a small brown envelope.· Each one was labelled with a box number and contained a large brown envelope.· The finished manuscript was placed in seven brown manila envelopes and quietly delivered to the Bobbs-Merrill Company.· It was a brown envelope with a Yale key inside.· He got out the brown envelope and spread the photographs on his lap.· That night at the meeting, Karen had a big brown envelope in her bag.· This time it was discovered in a brown envelope at the foot of a box.
· Sherlock Holmes held up a small buff envelope.
· Each one was labelled with a box number and contained a large brown envelope.· Reluctantly but dutifully, I arrived at her office with a large manila envelope full of photos.· For a free copy send a large stamped addressed envelope to Jos Joslin, Ridgeway Officer,.· Two days later Richard was having coffee in Hudson's room when Gimmelmann arrived clutching a large manilla envelope.· The Feldwebel took it into a corner and pulled out a large envelope which he threw on to the table.· Entries will remain copyright of the entrant but can only be returned if they are accompanied by a large stamped addressed envelope.· That evening a large envelope was brought to my room.· It was hard to see and Delia Sutherland walked, sheltering her eyes with the large brown envelope Rosen had given her.
· A secretary worked at a desk piled with green stock certificates, stuffing them into manila envelopes.· Reluctantly but dutifully, I arrived at her office with a large manila envelope full of photos.· Three are plain manila envelopes, two are Federal Express.· The finished manuscript was placed in seven brown manila envelopes and quietly delivered to the Bobbs-Merrill Company.
· Telophase then brings meiosis I to a close: the nuclear envelope starts to form again.· Injection of InsP 3 can trigger breakdown of the nuclear envelope in sea urchin embryos.· So now we need to ask, what prompts the nuclear envelope to appear and disappear?· When the nuclear envelopes re-form, the licensing factors are trapped inside, exactly as would be the case during mitosis.
· And not just any old envelope, but a special luxury brand with a griffin watermark.· She opened it, slipped her hand inside and pulled out an old frayed envelope.· The backs of old envelopes may be good enough for shopping lists but scrappy notes are worse than none.· And what he said his mistress jotted down on the backs of old, torn envelopes.· She finished scribbling her details on the back of the old envelope that she had extricated from her bag.
· And what is she peddling, post feminism, post modernism, post your answers in a plain pink envelope?· Cockled white paper in a plain white envelope.· He saw his own name on a plain white envelope.· It came in a plain white envelope with a New York postmark and had no return address.· My name and address were printed in a bold black type on a plain white envelope.· Three are plain manila envelopes, two are Federal Express.· He took up the file and studied the plain white paper envelope the letter had been posted in.
· And all documents are sent in special bank sealed envelopes.· They divined the contents of sealed envelopes by the simple expedient of opening the staples at the other end of the envelope.· At the bottom, five sealed envelopes with smaller quantities of cocaine inside come to light.· Disclosure of the contents of the sealed envelopes carried the risk of a five-year prison sentence.· Tzann toyed with the sealed official envelope containing the briefing orders.· Maxim offered the sealed envelope, Bruno took it, broke it open and passed it to her.· At the back of the book would be a set of sealed envelopes in various colours.
· He almost missed another, smaller envelope, addressed to Riddle in a round, childish hand.· Verdugo hands guests small white envelopes soliciting donations for funerals and reconstruction of the shrine.· There was a short letter and a smaller envelope, which had also been opened.· Foster picked up a small, bulky envelope.· Lorton passed a small brown envelope across the table.· Sherlock Holmes held up a small buff envelope.· The small green envelope with the harp generally came with news of sudden death.· The salary was packaged in a small brown envelope.
· They also enclose stamped addressed envelopes so that these samples can be returned to the Institute with little trouble.· Only pictures with a stamped addressed envelope will be returned.· Deliberately - very deliberately - he had enclosed no stamped addressed envelope.· We enclose a stamped, addressed envelope for the courtesy of your reply.· For a free copy send a large stamped addressed envelope to Jos Joslin, Ridgeway Officer,.· Checking charts for Belfast Telegraph Plan 82 are available if you write to me enclosing a stamped addressed envelope.· Letters requiring a personal reply must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope or a self addressed envelope and international reply coupons.· Readers requiring a reply should enclose a stamped addressed envelope or an international reply coupon.
· He took out of a thick envelope a sheet of thick paper.· He dug into his coat and handed Miguel a thick envelope.· She saw the thick envelope immediately.· Then a thick envelope arrived in the mail, containing something that looked suspiciously like airline tickets.· Dowd reached inside his jacket and pulled out a thick brown envelope.
· He saw his own name on a plain white envelope.· He folded it into its white envelope.· Finally he came up with what had started life as a white envelope.· Verdugo hands guests small white envelopes soliciting donations for funerals and reconstruction of the shrine.· As soon as she'd entered the hotel she'd been handed a white envelope containing a fax message.· Cockled white paper in a plain white envelope.· My name and address were printed in a bold black type on a plain white envelope.· It came in a plain white envelope with a New York postmark and had no return address.
VERB· I waited behind him a moment, looking at the Bonnards again while he addressed the envelope.· An address book makes addressing envelopes easy after writing letters.· He'd even addressed the envelope, bought the stamp by himself and posted it.· I addressed the three envelopes, folded the letters, and slipped the sheets inside.· Also, when you are addressing an envelope to a man alone, would you use Mr or Esq?· Individuals seeking first-day cancellations of the new stamps should purchase them at a post office and place them on addressed envelopes.· William photocopied it for her while she addressed an envelope.· He addressed the envelope to the Chief Constable of Hampshire.
· Mrs Nishimae goes to a cupboard and brings forth an envelope for Christine.
· The envelope did not contain a letter.· The other bulky envelope contained the invitation to the formal Sunday banquet in the City Hall.· As soon as she'd entered the hotel she'd been handed a white envelope containing a fax message.· Savings account £4820.27. 101 envelopes have been returned containing the sum of £201.50.· She had a good idea of what the envelope would contain, and she was already feeling faintly irritated.· She opened her bag to take out the envelope containing Elise's account and her own cheque.· Merrill's fingers closed over the bulkier envelope containing her curriculum vitae and references.· Tzann toyed with the sealed official envelope containing the briefing orders.
· Picking up her bags, she dropped an envelope with her rent on the dresser and left without a backward glance.· He dropped the envelope into the box marked Local Letters and looked at his watch: it was nine thirty.
· Printed on thin single sheets, suitable for enclosing in an envelope, they were a considerable success.· Specify which countries' sheets you desire, and enclose a self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage attached.· Deliberately - very deliberately - he had enclosed no stamped addressed envelope.· I enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope.· Checking charts for Belfast Telegraph Plan 82 are available if you write to me enclosing a stamped addressed envelope.· Readers requiring a reply should enclose a stamped addressed envelope or an international reply coupon.· Or write to the association enclosing a stamped-addressed envelope to:.· He enclosed a stamped addressed envelope the size of a small knapsack.
· Detectives found envelopes identical to those used to post the letters.· That search, Norman acknowledged, is aimed more at finding envelopes stuffed with narcotics than bombs.· When he got downstairs he found an envelope from his dad, so he opened the envelope and took out the note.· He was thrilled to find the cream-colored envelope near the bottom of the pile of greeting cards.
· As soon as she'd entered the hotel she'd been handed a white envelope containing a fax message.· He dug into his coat and handed Miguel a thick envelope.· Kevin had handed Fat Freddy an envelope on the steps of the bank.· Verdugo hands guests small white envelopes soliciting donations for funerals and reconstruction of the shrine.· He then hands Primo a letter-sized envelope.
· She held the envelope with both hands.· I held up the giant envelope, which induced her to cross the room.· She held the envelope to the light, squinting at it with one eye while she tried to read the first paragraph.· For a long time he had held the envelope in his chubby fingers and close to his face.
· She left the envelope on her dining table while she prepared her evening meal.· I asked my cleaner to post four chapters of my book on Roman agriculture and she left the envelope on a bus.· Then it was gone, leaving a weighted envelope Iying on the wet black asphalt at his feet.· What they will do is leave an envelope for you in one of the lockers at the airport.· She left the padded brown envelope until last.
· With trembling hands Mr Utterson opened the envelope.· You essentially have to read the verdict before you open the envelope.· Yolanda mimics their father opening an envelope.· But this is a novelty book and many of the pages can be opened like envelopes to reveal all sorts of goodies.· One day I open an envelope and discover the most articulate Tonelli I have ever come across in my life.· Claimed she hadn't opened the envelope.· The news director goes to his desk and opens the last envelope.
· He picked up the envelope and gave it a bit of a shake.· He picked up the envelope and began to take out the sheet of paper inside.· At last, shakily, she picked up the envelope and ripped it open, taking out the single sheet of paper.· Idly, Tzann picked up another brown envelope, addressed to him in crudely fashioned capitals.· He then picked up the second envelope from the side table.
· I placed the envelope in my jacket pocket and left him to join the corporal in the corridor.· There, I thought, hastily folding the sheet of paper and placing it in the envelope.· Just complete the enclosed Multipoint Application Form and place it in the envelope, together with a cheque for a minimum of £1.· Individuals seeking first-day cancellations of the new stamps should purchase them at a post office and place them on addressed envelopes.· He placed the envelope in Revelation and returned the Bible to the shelf.
· It needs some one who understands its basic talent, some one who will help it to push the envelope of its artificial intelligence.· In one entrapment incident when he was in the Assembly, some one pushed an envelope under his door.· Both were known to push the envelope of life.
· Then she wrote out a cheque in payment of the forgotten parking-ticket, put it in an envelope and went out.· He put the envelope down and dialed the fourth telephone number, one in the 202 area.· There was no time to look at the cuttings he had given her, and Loretta put the envelope in her bag.· I put the envelope, and one of the first pots my sister made, into the casket.· He clipped the sheets together and put them into an envelope.· The clerk put change into the envelope and handed it to Neta.· She left cash for the telephone, erring in favour of overpayment, and put it in an envelope by the phone.· Emily refolded the letter and put it into the envelope.
· Satisfied, he returned the envelope to the wallet.· I pocketed the bills and returned the empty envelope to the drawer.
· I shall now seal the envelope.· His assistant hands me the diagnosis in a sealed envelope and also departs.· Vincent Lee, of Manchester, said the number was still sealed inside its original envelope.· The mustard came in a gelatinous sealed plastic envelope that he had to open with his teeth.· Also, do not use large amounts of sticky tape to seal envelopes, as this can render them unusable.· She took it and sealed it in an envelope.· Later that day, at the poolside restaurant, a sealed envelope arrived by waiter.· She wondered how she was going to repair it and seal the envelope up properly again.
· I remember Nora's first postcard - which she sent in an envelope secretly to my office.· She insisted that the boys vote as Avonites by absentee ballot and send the envelopes to her for transmittal to polling officials.· Please send a stamped addressed envelope to the Alumni Office for further details.
· Here there were piles of newspapers, heaps of books, manuscripts, labels, rubber stamps, envelopes.· I enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope.
· She doesn't think that stuffing envelopes for the Democrats once every four years makes her an activist.· A secretary worked at a desk piled with green stock certificates, stuffing them into manila envelopes.· Finding volunteers to stuff envelopes for the local theater may be relatively easy.· She also worked in abortion clinics stuffing envelopes or providing counseling over the phone.
· Rosalind gladly let the police-sergeant take away the envelope and hurried off, singing, to telephone to Richard.· She took the envelope, thanked me for it.· Donna took the envelope upstairs with her and laid it on the bedside table.· Before Charles left the house in Pangbourne, he took the envelope of photographs out of his inside pocket and looked at them.· Even inmates in Colorado prisons got in on the drive when Ross took envelopes to them to be addressed for mail solicitations.· I took the envelope out of the left-hand saddle-bag and held it across my chest.· She opened her bag to take out the envelope containing Elise's account and her own cheque.
· He tore the envelope open, his mind full of various pleasing conjectures.· Sometimes you get the torn envelope....· Amelia tore the envelope open and laughed.· She started to tear open the envelope.· She tore open the envelope, ignoring the paper knife Penman laid ready for her each day.· Puzzled, he tore open the envelope.· She took it out, not looking at it as she walked into the kitchen, tearing the envelope as she went.
· There was no writing on the envelope and it was unsealed.· A veteran of four deployments, Shuart listed such items as exercise gear and extra writing paper and envelopes.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1- Each time Walters asked his employees to push the envelope, he said, "If you can dream it, you can do it."
- Both were known to push the envelope of life.
- It needs some one who understands its basic talent, some one who will help it to push the envelope of its artificial intelligence.
- Both were known to push the envelope of life.
- It needs some one who understands its basic talent, some one who will help it to push the envelope of its artificial intelligence.
a thin paper cover in which you put and send a letter: envelopes and stamps She tore open the envelope and frantically read the letter. He got a job stuffing envelopes (=filling them with letters) at the campaign headquarters. → sae, SASE2a layer of something that surrounds something elseenvelope of an envelope of gases around the planet3push the envelope especially American English to try to go beyond the normal limits of something: a musician who pushes the envelope of improvisationCOLLOCATIONSverbsopen an envelope· I opened the envelope, pulled out the document and read it.tear/rip open an envelope (=open it quickly and roughly)· My fingers trembled as I tore open the envelope.slit open an envelope (=open it by cutting it)· I quickly slit open the envelope.seal an envelope (=close it)· She sealed the envelope and stuck on a stamp.stuff envelopes (=to put letters or documents into many envelopes, for example as part of a political campaign)· We need volunteers to stuff envelopes and deliver leaflets.adjectivesa pre-paid/stamped-addressed envelope (=with a stamp/a stamp and an address already on it)· A copy of the rules can be obtained by sending a stamped-addressed envelope to the above address.a self-addressed envelope (=one with your own name and address on)· Enclose a self-addressed envelope with your application form.a brown/white etc envelope· There was a large brown envelope on his desk.a manila envelope (=made from strong brown paper)a sealed envelope (=one that is firmly closed)· The contract was delivered by special messenger in a sealed envelope.phraseson the back of an envelope (=used to describe a calculation or plan that is written down quickly on any available small piece of paper)· She scribbled a few ideas on the back of an envelope.