SPELL

Spell

A spell, charm, or incantation is a set of words, spoken or unspoken . Casting a spell is considered by its user to invoke some magical effect. Historical attestations exist for the use of some variety of incantations in many cultures around the world. Pharmakeia is often the vehicle for binding someone with a spell with and without uttered words. Often binding someone with a spell by the use of spoken word formulas involves the use of evocation.

The above text is a snippet from Wikipedia: Spell (paranormal)
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

spell

Noun

  1. Speech, discourse.
  2. Words or a formula supposed to have magical powers.
    He cast a spell to cure warts.
  3. A magical effect or influence induced by an incantation or formula.
    under a spell

Noun (etymology 2)

  1. A splinter, usually of wood; a spelk.

Noun (etymology 3)

  1. A shift (of work); a set of workers responsible for a specific turn of labour.
  2. A period of (work or other activity).
  3. An indefinite period of time (usually with some qualifying word).
  4. A period of rest; time off.
  5. A period of illness, or sudden interval of bad spirits, disease etc.
  6. An uninterrupted series of alternate overs bowled by a single bowler.

Verb

  1. To speak, to declaim.
  2. To tell; to relate; to teach.
  3. To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.

Verb (etymology 2)

  1. To read (something) as though letter by letter; to peruse slowly or with effort.
  2. To write or say the letters that form a word or part of a word.
  3. To be able to write or say the letters that form words.
    I find it difficult to spell because I'm dyslexic.
  4. Of letters: to compose (a word).
    The letters “a”, “n” and “d” spell “and”.
  5. To indicate that (some event) will occur.
    This spells trouble.
  6. To clarify; to explain in detail.
    Please spell it out for me.
  7. To constitute; to measure.

Verb (etymology 3)

  1. To work in place of (someone).
    to spell the helmsman
  2. To rest (someone or something).
    They spelled the horses and rested in the shade of some trees near a brook.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: spell
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

Need help with a clue?
Try your search in the crossword dictionary!