English-Dutch translations for dead letter

• dode letter
  Daardoor blijven de teksten dode letters. So these texts remain a dead letter.
  Zijn ze niet meer dan een dode letter?Is this all no more than a dead letter?
  Godsdienstvrijheid mag geen dode letter zijn. Freedom of religion must not be a dead letter.

Definition of dead letter

• An item of mail that cannot be delivered to its intended recipient; after some time it is returned to the sender, or destroyed
• Anything that has lost its authority or influence despite still being in existence or formally in force

Related words

• letter of the law