Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DOC'U-MENT, n. [L. documentum, from doceo, to teach.]

1. Precept; instruction; direction. – Bacon. Watts.
2. Dogmatical precept; authoritative dogma.
3. More generally, in present usage, written instruction, evidence or proof; any official or authoritative paper containing instructions or proof, for information and the establishment of facts. Thus, the president laid before congress the report of the secretary, accompanied with all the documents.