(1):

(n.) The act or practice of recording anything by marks, figures, or characters.

(2):

(n.) Any particular system of characters, symbols, or abbreviated expressions used in art or science, to express briefly technical facts, quantities, etc. Esp., the system of figures, letters, and signs used in arithmetic and algebra to express number, quantity, or operations.

(3):

(n.) Literal or etymological signification.