paper

/ˈpeɪpər/
noun
  1. Thin material made from wood pulp, used for writing, printing, wrapping, or cleaning.
    • She wrote a letter on a piece of paper.
    • Please recycle your paper instead of throwing it in the trash.
    • The printer ran out of paper, so I couldn't print my report.
  2. A newspaper.
    • My grandfather reads the morning paper every day.
    • The story was on the front page of the local paper.
    • I saw your ad in yesterday's paper.
  3. A written academic essay or report.
    • I have to write a ten-page paper for my history class.
    • She presented her research paper at the conference.
    • The professor asked us to submit our papers by Friday.
  4. Wallpaper or decorative paper for covering walls.
    • The old paper in the hallway was peeling off.
    • We chose a blue floral paper for the bedroom.
    • They sell many different patterns of paper for walls.
  5. Official documents, such as identification or identification papers.
    • He lost his immigration papers and had to apply for new ones.
    • The officer asked to see my papers at the border.
    • Make sure you keep your important papers in a safe place.
verb
  1. To cover a wall or surface with wallpaper.
    • They hired a professional to paper the hallway.
    • He spent the weekend papering the living room.
    • We decided to paper the kitchen ourselves.
  2. To wrap or cover something with paper.
    • Please paper the shelves before putting the books on them.
    • She carefully papered the gift before the party.
    • The movers papered the fragile dishes to protect them.
adjective
  1. Made of paper.
    • I bought a paper notebook for my classes.
    • She used a paper bag to carry her lunch.
    • The store offers both plastic and paper cups.
  2. Existing only in theory or on paper, not in reality.
    • The plan looked good on paper, but it failed in practice.
    • The agreement was only a paper promise with no real effect.
    • He was a paper tiger, threatening but powerless.