- The definition of a spell is a word or words which are supposed to hold magical power, an influence that cannot be resisted, or a trance.
- An example of a spell is saying "abracadabra."
- An example of a spell is the charm of a prince on a princess in a fairytale.
- An example of a spell is a person with their eyes open, but unconscious.
- Spell is defined as saying each of the letters in a word.
An example of spell is a child telling his teacher the letters that make up a specific word.
spell
noun
- a word, formula, or form of words thought to have some magic power; incantation
- seemingly magical power or irresistible influence; charm; fascination
- a trance
Origin of spell
Middle English ; from Old English a saying, tale, charm, akin to Gothic spill, tale ; from uncertain or unknown; perhaps Indo-European base an unverified form (s)pel-, to speak loudlyspell Idioms
cast a spell on
- to put into, or as into, a trance
- to win the complete affection of
under a spell
held in a spell or trance; enchanted
transitive verb
spelled or spelt, spelling- to name, write, or signal the letters which make up (a word, syllable, etc.), esp. the right letters in the right order, together with any required hyphens, apostrophes, accents, etc.
- to make up, or form (a word, etc.): said of specified letters
- to signify; mean: hard work spelled success
Origin of spell
Middle English spellen ; from Old French espeller, to explain, relate ; from Frankish an unverified form spellōn, akin to spellintransitive verb
to spell a word, words, etc.; esp., to do so correctly
spell Idioms
spell out
- to read letter by letter or with difficulty
- to make out, or discern, as if by close reading
- ☆ to explain exactly and in detail
transitive verb
spelled, spelling- Informal to serve or work in place of (another), esp. so as to give a period of rest to; relieve
- Chiefly Austral. to give a period of rest to
Origin of spell
Middle English spelien ; from Old English spelian, to substitute for, akin to spala, a substituteintransitive verb
Chiefly Austral. to take a period of rest or relief
noun
- a turn of serving or working in place of another
- a period or turn of work, duty, etc.: a two-year spell as reporter
- a turn, period, or fit of something: a spell of brooding
- a period of a specified sort of weather: a cold spell
- Informal a period of time that is indefinite, short, or of a specified character
- ☆ Dialectal a short distance
- Informal a period or fit of some illness, indisposition, etc.
- Chiefly Austral. a period of rest or relief from activity
spell
verb
spelled spelled or spelt , spell·ing, spellsverb
, transitive- To name or write in order the letters constituting (a word).
- To constitute the letters of (a word): These letters spell animal.
- To add up to; signify: Their unwise investment could spell financial ruin.
verb
, intransitive To name or write in order the letters of a word or words: I've never been able to spell very well.
Phrasal Verbs: spell down To defeat in a spelling bee. spell out To make clear and explicit: asked him to spell out his objectives. To name or write in order the letters that constitute (a word or part of a word): spelled out my name.Origin of spell
Middle English spellen, to read letter by letter, from Old French espeller, of Germanic origin.
noun
- a. A word or formula believed to have magic power.b. A bewitched state or trance: The sorcerer put the prince under a spell.
- A compelling attraction; charm or fascination: the spell of the theater.
transitive verb
spelled spelled, spell·ing, spells To put (someone) under a spell; bewitch.
Origin of spell
Middle English, discourse, from Old English.
noun
- A short, indefinite period of time.
- Informal A period of weather of a particular kind: a dry spell.
- a. One's turn at work.b. A period of work; a shift.
- Australian A period of rest.
- Informal A period of physical or mental disorder or distress: a dizzy spell.
- Informal A short distance.
verb
spelled spelled, spell·ing, spellsverb
, transitive- To relieve (someone) from work temporarily by taking a turn.
- To allow (someone) to rest a while.
verb
, intransitive- To take turns working.
- Australian To rest for a time from an activity.
Origin of spell
From Middle English spelen, to spare, from Old English spelian, to represent, substitute for.spell
Noun
(plural spells)
Terms derived from spell (noun, etymology 1)
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Verb
(third-person singular simple present spells, present participle spelling, simple past and past participle spelled)
- To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.
Origin
From Old English spel, spellian, spelian, from Proto-Germanic *spellą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *spel- (“to tell”). Cognate with dialectal German Spill, spellen and Albanian fjalë (“word”).
Verb
(third-person singular simple present spells, present participle spelling, simple past and past participle spelled or spelt (mostly UK))
- (sometimes with “out”) To write or say the letters that form a word or part of a word. [from 16th c.]
- (intransitive) To be able to write or say the letters that form words.
- I find it difficult to spell because I'm dyslexic.
- Of letters: to compose (a word). [from 19th c.]
- The letters “a”, “n” and “d” spell “and”.
- (figuratively) To indicate that (some event) will occur. [from 19th c.]
- This spells trouble.
- (figuratively, with “out”) To clarify; to explain in detail. [from 20th c.]
- Please spell it out for me.
- To constitute; to measure.
Origin
From Old French espel(l)er (> Modern French épeler), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *spel- (“to speak”).
Origin
Origin uncertain; perhaps a form of speld.
Verb
(third-person singular simple present spells, present participle spelling, simple past and past participle spelled or spelt)
- To work in place of (someone).
- to spell the helmsman
- To rest (someone or something).
- They spelled the horses and rested in the shade of some trees near a brook.
Noun
(plural spells)
- A shift (of work); a set of workers responsible for a specific turn of labour. [from 16th c.]
- A period of (work or other activity). [from 18th c.]
- An indefinite period of time (usually with some qualifying word). [from 18th c.]
- A period of rest; time off. [from 19th c.]
- (US) A period of illness, or sudden interval of bad spirits, disease etc. [from 19th c.]
- (cricket) An uninterrupted series of alternate overs bowled by a single bowler. [from 20th c.]
Anagrams
- pells
Origin
From Middle English spelen, from Old English spelian, akin to spala (“substitute”).
