lettre de cachet

2 definitions found

lettre de cachet - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Cachet \Cach"et\, n. [F. fr. cacher to hide.]
     A seal, as of a letter.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Lettre de cachet [F.], a sealed letter, especially a letter
        or missive emanating from the sovereign; -- much used in
        France before the Revolution as an arbitrary order of
        imprisonment.
        [1913 Webster] Cachexia

lettre de cachet - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  lettre de cachet
      n 1: a warrant formerly issued by a French king who could
           warrant imprisonment or death in a signed letter under his
           seal [syn: cachet, lettre de cachet]