lettre de cachet

[ le-truh duh ka-she ]

noun

, French.

, plural let·tres de ca·chet [le-t, r, uh, d, uh, k, a, -, she].

1. a letter under the seal of the sovereign, especially one ordering imprisonment, frequently without trial.

lettre de cachet

/ lɛtrə də kaʃɛ /

noun

1. French history a letter under the sovereign's seal, often authorizing imprisonment without trial

Word History and Origins

Origin of lettre de cachet¹

literally: letter with a seal

Example Sentences

Rohan professed to regard the challenge as a piece of insolence, and, through royal favor, had Voltaire, sent, by lettre de cachet, to the Bastille.

From Project Gutenberg

And so, being wide awake, and fully determined to give the True Grits no cause of complaint against him, he went straight with the lettre de cachet to the President.

From Project Gutenberg

Next morning, instead of meeting de Rohan, he met officers armed with a lettre de cachet consigning him to the Bastille.

From Project Gutenberg

To avoid the lettre de cachet, he fled to Holland, and for prudence' sake, exchanged his name of Chevalier de Thémiseul for the less warlike one of Saint-Hyacinthe.

From Project Gutenberg

A lettre de cachet was issued, and Fr�ret was sent to the Bastille.

From Project Gutenberg