The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Manuscript \Man"u*script\, a. [L. manu scriptus. See Manual,
   and Scribe.]
   Written with or by the hand; not printed; as, a manuscript
   volume.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Manuscript \Man"u*script\, n. [LL. manuscriptum, lit., something
   written with the hand. See Manuscript, a.]
   1. An original literary or musical composition written by the
      author, formerly with the hand, now usually by typewriter
      or word processor. It is contrasted with a printed copy.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

   2. Writing, as opposed to print; as, the book exists only in
      manuscript. --Craik.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The word is often abbreviated to MS., plural MSS.
         [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

manuscript
    n 1: the form of a literary work submitted for publication [syn:
         manuscript, ms]
    2: handwritten book or document [syn: manuscript, holograph]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

109 Moby Thesaurus words for "manuscript":
   Aldine, Aldine book, Elzevir, Elzevir book, article, autograph,
   autographic, autography, brainchild, calligraphic, calligraphy,
   chirographic, chirography, codex, composed matter, composition,
   computer printout, copy, cradle book, cursive, dead matter,
   document, draft, early edition, edited version, engrossed,
   engrossment, essay, fair copy, fiction, final draft,
   finished version, first draft, first edition, fist, flimsy,
   flowing, graphanalysis, graphic, graphoanalytic, graphologic,
   graphology, graphometric, graphometry, hand, handwriting,
   holograph, holographic, in longhand, in shorthand, in writing,
   incunabulum, inscribed, italic, italicized, letter,
   literae scriptae, literary artefact, literary production,
   literature, live matter, longhand, lucubration, matter, nonfiction,
   on paper, opus, original, paleography, paper, parchment, penciled,
   pencraft, penmanship, penned, penscript, piece, piece of writing,
   play, poem, printed, printed matter, printout, production,
   rare book, reading matter, recension, running, screed, scrip,
   script, scription, scriptorial, scriptural, scrive, scroll,
   second draft, shorthand, standing matter, stylographic,
   stylography, the written word, transcript, transcription,
   typescript, version, work, writing, written



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

MANUSCRIPT. A writing; a writing which has never been printed.
     2. The act of congress securing to authors a copyright passed February
3, 1831, sect. 9, protects authors in their manuscripts, and renders any
person who shall unlawfully publish a manuscript liable to an action, and
authorizes the courts to enjoin the publisher. See Copyright. The right of
the author, to his manuscripts, at common law, cannot be contested. 4 Burr.
2396; 2 Eden, Ch. R. 329; 2 Story, R. 100; 2 Atk. 342; Ambl. 694; 2 B. & A.
290; 2 Story, Eq. Jur. Sec. 943; Eden, Inj. 322; 2 B. & A. 298; 2 Bro. P. C.
(Toml. ed.) 138; 4 Vin. Ab. 278; 2 Atk. 342; 2 Ves. & B. 23. These rights
will be considered as abandoned if the author publishes his manuscripts,
without securing the copyright under the acts of congress. See Bouv. Inst.
Index, h.t.; Copyright.