'Spell' definitions:
Definition of 'spell'
From: WordNet
noun
A psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation [syn: enchantment, spell, trance]
noun
A time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else); "it's my go"; "a spell of work" [syn: go, spell, tour, turn]
noun
A period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition; "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather"; "a patch of bad weather" [syn: while, piece, spell, patch]
noun
A verbal formula believed to have magical force; "he whispered a spell as he moved his hands"; "inscribed around its base is a charm in Balinese" [syn: spell, magic spell, magical spell, charm]
verb
Orally recite the letters of or give the spelling of; "How do you spell this word?" "We had to spell out our names for the police officer" [syn: spell, spell out]
verb
Indicate or signify; "I'm afraid this spells trouble!" [syn: spell, import]
verb
Write or name the letters that comprise the conventionally accepted form of (a word or part of a word); "He spelled the word wrong in this letter" [syn: spell, write]
verb
Relieve (someone) from work by taking a turn; "She spelled her husband at the wheel"
verb
Place under a spell [ant: unspell]
verb
Take turns working; "the workers spell every four hours"
Definition of 'Spell'
From: GCIDE
Definition of 'Spell'
From: GCIDE
- Spell \Spell\, n. [OE. speld, AS. speld a spill to light a candle with; akin to D. speld a pin, OD. spelle, G. spalten to split, OHG. spaltan, MHG. spelte a splinter, Icel. spjald a square tablet, Goth. spilda a writing tablet. Cf. Spillsplinter, roll of paper, Spell to tell the letters of.] A spelk, or splinter. [Obs.] --Holland. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Spell'
From: GCIDE
- Spell \Spell\, v. i.
- 1. To form words with letters, esp. with the proper letters, either orally or in writing. [1913 Webster]
- When what small knowledge was, in them did dwell, And he a god, who could but read or spell. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- Where I may sit and rightly spell Of every star that heaven doth shew, And every herb that sips the dew. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Spell'
From: GCIDE
- Spell \Spell\, n.
- 1. The relief of one person by another in any piece of work or watching; also, a turn at work which is carried on by one person or gang relieving another; as, a spell at the pumps; a spell at the masthead. [1913 Webster]
- A spell at the wheel is called a trick. --Ham. Nav. Encyc. [1913 Webster]
- 2. The time during which one person or gang works until relieved; hence, any relatively short period of time, whether a few hours, days, or weeks. [1913 Webster]
- Nothing new has happened in this quarter, except the setting in of a severe spell of cold weather. --Washington. [1913 Webster]
- 3. One of two or more persons or gangs who work by spells. [R.] [1913 Webster]
- Their toil is so extreme that they can not endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeeded by spells. --Garew. [1913 Webster]
- 4. A gratuitous helping forward of another's work; as, a logging spell. [Local, U.S.] [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Spell'
From: GCIDE
- Spell \Spell\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spelledor Spelt; p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling.] [OE. spellen, spellien, tell, relate, AS. spellian, fr. spell a saying, tale; akin to MHG. spellen to relate, Goth. spill?n.e Spell a tale. In sense 4 and those following, OE. spellen, perhaps originally a different word, and from or influenced by spell a splinter, from the use of a piece of wood to point to the letters in schools: cf. D. spellen to spell. Cf. Spell splinter.]
- 1. To tell; to relate; to teach. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- Might I that legend find, By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes. --T. Warton. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm. "Spelled with words of power." --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot. --Sir G. Buck. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To constitute; to measure. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- The Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did spell but one in effect. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]
- 4. To tell or name in their proper order letters of, as a word; to write or print in order the letters of, esp. the proper letters; to form, as words, by correct orthography. [1913 Webster]
- The word "satire" ought to be spelled with i, and not with y. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 5. To discover by characters or marks; to read with difficulty; -- usually with out; as, to spell out the sense of an author; to spell out a verse in the Bible. [1913 Webster]
- To spell out a God in the works of creation. --South. [1913 Webster]
- To sit spelling and observing divine justice upon every accident. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Spell'
From: GCIDE
- Spell \Spell\, n.[AS. spell a saying, tale, speech; akin to OS. & OHG. spel, Icel. spjall,Goth. spill. Cf. Gospel, Spell to tell the letters of.]
- 1. A story; a tale. [Obs.] "Hearken to my spell." --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
- 2. A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any charm. [1913 Webster]
- Start not; her actions shall be holy as You hear my spell is lawful. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'spell'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- access,
- act for,
- add up to,
- alchemy,
- allure,
- alternate,
- amount to,
- appeal,
- argue,
- arsis,
- attraction,
- augur,
- bad influence,
- be construed as,
- beat,
- becharm,
- beguile,
- bespeak,
- betoken,
- bewitch,
- bewitchery,
- bewitching,
- bit,
- bode,
- bout,
- break,
- breath,
- breathe,
- breather,
- breathing place,
- breathing space,
- breathing spell,
- breathing time,
- captivate,
- captivation,
- carry away,
- cast a spell,
- chance,
- change places with,
- charm,
- cigarette break,
- circle,
- circuit,
- clarify,
- cocktail hour,
- coffee break,
- conjuration,
- connote,
- course,
- cover,
- crowd out,
- curse,
- cut out,
- cycle,
- day,
- delineate,
- denote,
- diastole,
- displace,
- divination,
- divine,
- do a hitch,
- do a stint,
- do a tour,
- do time,
- double for,
- downbeat,
- downtime,
- draw,
- duration,
- elucidate,
- enchant,
- enchanting,
- enchantment,
- enforced respite,
- enlist,
- enrapture,
- enravish,
- enthrall,
- entrance,
- evil eye,
- evil genius,
- evil star,
- express,
- fascinate,
- fascination,
- fateful moment,
- fetishism,
- fill in for,
- fit,
- folklore,
- foretoken,
- formula,
- ghost,
- ghostwrite,
- glamour,
- go,
- gramarye,
- halt,
- happy hour,
- have a go,
- have tenure,
- hex,
- hint,
- hold office,
- hoodoo,
- hour,
- hypnotize,
- ill wind,
- imply,
- import,
- incantation,
- indicate,
- infatuate,
- influence,
- inning,
- innings,
- instant,
- intend,
- interlude,
- intermission,
- interval,
- intrigue,
- jinx,
- Jonah,
- juju,
- jujuism,
- juncture,
- kairos,
- keep a watch,
- lay off,
- letup,
- lie by,
- look like,
- lore,
- lull,
- lure,
- magic,
- magnetism,
- malevolent influence,
- malocchio,
- mean,
- mesmerism,
- mesmerize,
- minute,
- moment,
- moment of truth,
- natural magic,
- necromancy,
- obeah,
- omen,
- opportunity,
- orthographize,
- outspell,
- patch,
- pause,
- period,
- pinch-hit,
- place,
- point,
- point to,
- popular belief,
- portend,
- prefigure,
- pregnant moment,
- preindicate,
- presage,
- presign,
- presignal,
- presignify,
- pretypify,
- promise,
- psychological moment,
- pull,
- pulse,
- re-up,
- recess,
- reenlist,
- refer to,
- relay,
- relief,
- relieve,
- replace,
- represent,
- respite,
- rest,
- revolution,
- rotation,
- round,
- run,
- rune,
- say,
- season,
- seizure,
- series,
- serve time,
- shamanism,
- shift,
- sign up,
- signify,
- sorcery,
- sortilege,
- space,
- span,
- specify,
- spell backward,
- spell off,
- spell out,
- spellbind,
- spellbinding,
- spellcasting,
- stage,
- stand for,
- stand in for,
- stay,
- stint,
- streak,
- stretch,
- subrogate,
- substitute for,
- succeed,
- suggest,
- supersede,
- superstition,
- superstitiousness,
- supplant,
- surcease,
- suspension,
- swap places with,
- syllabize,
- syllable,
- symbolize,
- sympathetic magic,
- systole,
- take over,
- take turns,
- tea break,
- tenure,
- term,
- thaumaturgia,
- thaumaturgics,
- thaumaturgism,
- thaumaturgy,
- thesis,
- theurgy,
- time,
- time at bat,
- time lag,
- time off,
- time out,
- token,
- tour,
- tour of duty,
- trace out,
- tradition,
- trance,
- transport,
- trick,
- turn,
- typify,
- understudy for,
- upbeat,
- vamp,
- vampirism,
- voodoo,
- voodooism,
- wanga,
- watch,
- whack,
- whammy,
- wheel,
- whet,
- while,
- white magic,
- witch,
- witchcraft,
- witchery,
- witchwork,
- wizardry,
- write out
Words containing 'Spell'
- Spelled,
- Spellful,
- Spelling,
- spell out,
- By-spell,
- Night spell,
- Phonetic spelling,
- Romanic spelling,
- Spelling bee,
- Spelling book,
- Spelling match,
- breathing spell,
- cast a spell,
- cold spell,
- finger spelling,
- hot spell,
- magic spell,
- magical spell,
- quiet spell,
- sinking spell,
- spelling checker,
- spelling contest,
- finger-spell,
- spell-bound,
- spell-checker