Adjacent Words

Spell definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SPELL, n. [The verb primarily signifies to throw or drive, and is probably formed on the root of L. pello. In some of the application of spell, we observe the sense of turn. We observe the same in throw, warp, cant, etc.]
1. A story; a tale.
2. A charm consisting of some words of occult power. Start not; her actions shall be holy; you hear my speel is lawful. Begin, begin; the mystic spell prepare.
3. A turn of work; relief; turn of duty. Take a spell at the pump. Their toil is so extreme, that they cannot endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeed by spells.
4. In New England, a short time; a little time. [Not elegant.]
5. A turn of gratuitous labor, sometimes accompanied with presents. People give their neighbors a spell.
SPELL, v.t. pret. and pp. spelled or spelt.
1. To tell or name the letters of a word, with a proper division of syllables, for the with a proper division of syllables, for the purpose of learning the pronunciation. In this matter children learn to read by first spelling the words.
2. To write or print with the proper letters; to form words by correct orthography. The word satire ought to be spelled with i, and not with y.
3. To take another's place or turn temporarily in any labor or service. [This is a popular use of the word in New England.]
4. To charm; as spelled with words of power.
5. To read; to discover by characters or marks; with out; as, to speel out the sense of an author. We are not left to spell out a God in the works of creation.
6. To tell; to relate; to teach. [Not in use.]
SPELL, v.i.
1. To form words with the proper letters, either in reading or writing. He knows not how to spell. Our orthography is so irregular that most persons never learn to spell.
2. To read.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation [syn: enchantment, spell, trance]
2: 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]
3: 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]
4: 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] v
1: 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]
2: indicate or signify; "I'm afraid this spells trouble!" [syn: spell, import]
3: 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]
4: relieve (someone) from work by taking a turn; "She spelled her husband at the wheel"
5: place under a spell [ant: unspell]
6: take turns working; "the workers spell every four hours"

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (spelled; spelling) Etymology: Middle English, to mean, signify, read by spelling out letters, from Anglo-French espeleir, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English spellian to relate, spell talk Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to read slowly and with difficulty — often used with out 2. to find out by study ; come to understand — often used with out <it requires some pains to spell out those decorations — F. J. Mather> 3. a. (1) to name the letters of in order; also to write or print the letters of in order (2) to write or print the letters of in a particular way <you can spell it either way> <I spelled it wrong> b. to make up (a word) <what word do these letters spell> c. write 1b <catnip is spelled as one word> 4. to add up to ; mean <crop failure was likely to spell stark famine — Stringfellow Barr> intransitive verb to form words with letters <teach children to spell>; also to spell words in a certain way <spells the way he speaks> II. noun Etymology: Middle English, talk, tale, from Old English; akin to Old High German spel talk, tale Date: 1579 1. a. a spoken word or form of words held to have magic power b. a state of enchantment 2. a strong compelling influence or attraction III. transitive verb (spelled; spelling) Date: circa 1623 to put under a spell IV. noun Etymology: probably alteration of Middle English spale substitute, from Old English spala Date: 1593 1. a. archaic a shift of workers b. one's turn at work 2. a. a period spent in a job or occupation b. chiefly Australian a period of rest from work, activity, or use 3. a. an indeterminate period of time <waited a spell before advancing>; also a continuous period of time <did a spell in prison> b. a stretch of a specified type of weather 4. a period of bodily or mental distress or disorder <a spell of coughing> <fainting spells> V. verb (spelled; spelling) Etymology: Middle English spelen, from Old English spelian; akin to Old English spala substitute Date: 1595 transitive verb 1. to take the place of for a time ; relieve <he and the other assistant…spelled each other — Mary McCarthy> 2. rest intransitive verb 1. to work in turns 2. chiefly Australian to rest from work or activity for a time

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. v.tr. (past and past part. spelt or spelled) 1 (also absol.) write or name the letters that form (a word etc.) in correct sequence (spell 'exaggerate'; cannot spell properly). 2 a (of letters) make up or form (a word etc.). b (of circumstances, a scheme, etc.) result in; involve (spell ruin). Phrases and idioms: spell out (or over) 1 make out (words, writing, etc.) letter by letter. 2 explain in detail (spelled out what the change would mean). Derivatives: spellable adj. Etymology: ME f. OF espel(l)er, f. Frank. (as SPELL(2)) 2. n. 1 a form of words used as a magical charm or incantation. 2 an attraction or fascination exercised by a person, activity, quality, etc. Phrases and idioms: under a spell mastered by or as if by a spell. Etymology: OE spel(l) f. Gmc 3. n. & v. --n. 1 a short or fairly short period (a cold spell in April). 2 a turn of work (did a spell of woodwork). 3 Austral. a period of rest from work. --v. 1 tr. a relieve or take the place of (a person) in work etc. b allow to rest briefly. 2 intr. Austral. take a brief rest. Etymology: earlier as verb: later form of dial. spele take place of f. OE spelian, of unkn. orig. 4. n. a splinter of wood etc. Etymology: perh. f. obs. speld

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.] Might I that legend find, By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes. --T. Warton. 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. He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot. --Sir G. Buck. 3. To constitute; to measure. [Obs.] The Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did spell but one in effect. --Fuller. 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. The word ``satire'' ought to be spelled with i, and not with y. --Dryden. 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. To spell out a God in the works of creation. --South. To sit spelling and observing divine justice upon every accident. --Milton.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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. A spell at the wheel is called a trick. --Ham. Nav. Encyc. 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. Nothing new has happened in this quarter, except the setting in of a severe spell of cold weather. --Washington. 3. One of two or more persons or gangs who work by spells. [R.] Their toil is so extreme that they can not endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeeded by spells. --Garew. 4. A gratuitous helping forward of another's work; as, a logging spell. [Local, U.S.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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. 2. A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any charm. Start not; her actions shall be holy as You hear my spell is lawful. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Spell Spell, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling.] [AS. spelian to supply another's place.] To supply the place of for a time; to take the turn of, at work; to relieve; as, to spell the helmsman.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Spell Spell, v. i. 1. To form words with letters, esp. with the proper letters, either orally or in writing. When what small knowledge was, in them did dwell, And he a god, who could but read or spell. --Dryden. 2. To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study. [Obs.] Where I may sit and rightly spell Of every star that heaven doth shew, And every herb that sips the dew. --Milton.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(spells, spelling, spelled, spelt) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. Note: American English uses the form 'spelled' as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either 'spelled' or 'spelt'. 1. When you spell a word, you write or speak each letter in the word in the correct order. He gave his name and then helpfully spelt it... How do you spell 'potato'?... 'Tang' is 'Gnat' spelt backwards. VERB: V n, V n, V-ed • Spell out means the same as spell. If I don't know a word, I ask them to spell it out for me... I never have to spell out my first name. PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron) 2. Someone who can spell knows the correct order of letters in words. It's shocking how students can't spell these days... You accused me of inaccuracy yet you can't spell 'Middlesex'. VERB: no cont, V, V n 3. If something spells a particular result, often an unpleasant one, it suggests that this will be the result. If the irrigation plan goes ahead, it could spell disaster for the birds... VERB: no cont, V n 4. A spell of a particular type of weather or a particular activity is a short period of time during which this type of weather or activity occurs. There has been a long spell of dry weather... You join a barrister for two six-month spells of practical experience. = period N-COUNT: usu N of n 5. A spell is a situation in which events are controlled by a magical power. They say she died after a witch cast a spell on her. ...the kiss that will break the spell. N-COUNT 6. see also spelling

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Charm, incantation, exorcism. 2. Turn (at work). 3. Season, term, period, interval, fit. II. v. a. 1. Represent by letters. 2. Read, interpret, decipher, unfold, unriddle, unravel, discover by characters (often with out). 3. Fascinate, charm, bewitch.

Moby Thesaurus

Jonah, 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, 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