Document

n. [Lat. documentum, from docere, to teach; Fr. & Pr. document, Sp., Pg., & It. documento.] 1. That which is taught or authoritatively set forth; precept; instruction; direction; authoritative dogma. [Obs.] Learners should not be too much crowded with a heap or multitude of documents or ideas at one time. Watts. 2. That which teaches authoritatively, sets forth, or establishes; any thing furnishing proof or evidence; especially, an original or official paper relied upon as the basis, proof, or support of any thing else. They were forthwith stoned to death as a document to others. Raleigh. Saint Luke . . . collected them from such documents and testimonies as he . . . judged to be authentic. Paley.