spell

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• COUNT in NET: 2 in 2 verses (in OT : 1 in 1 verses) (in NT : 1 in 1 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

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.  Holland.  [1913 Webster]

spell, v. t. [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.  [1913 Webster]

spell, n. 

•  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."  [1913 Webster]
•  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."  [1913 Webster]
•  One of two or more persons or gangs who work by spells.  [1913 Webster]

  "Their toil is so extreme that they can not endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeeded by spells."  [1913 Webster]
•  A gratuitous helping forward of another's work; as, a logging spell.  [1913 Webster]

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.].

•  A story; a tale.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  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."  [1913 Webster]

spell, v. t. [OE. spellen, spellien, tell, relate, AS. spellian, fr. spell a saying, tale; akin to MHG. spellen to relate, Goth. spilln.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.].

•  To tell; to relate; to teach.  [1913 Webster]

  "Might I that legend find,
  By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes."  [1913 Webster]
•  To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

  "He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot."  [1913 Webster]
•  To constitute; to measure.  [1913 Webster]

  "The Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did spell but one in effect."  [1913 Webster]
•  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."  [1913 Webster]
•  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."  [1913 Webster]

  "To sit spelling and observing divine justice upon every accident."  [1913 Webster]

spell, v. i. 

•  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."  [1913 Webster]
•  To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study.  [1913 Webster]

  "Where I may sit and rightly spell
  Of every star that heaven doth shew,
  And every herb that sips the dew."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

spell, 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).

Idiom

spell out (or over)
1 make out (words, writing, etc.) letter by letter.
2 explain in detail (spelled out what the change would mean).

Derivative

spellable adj.

spell, 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.

Idiom

under a spell mastered by or as if by a spell.

spell, 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.

spell, n. a splinter of wood etc.

Etymology

perh. f. obs. speld

THESAURUS

spell

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

ROGET THESAURUS

spell

Letter

VB spell.

Necessity

N necessity, involuntariness, instinct, blind impulse, inborn proclivity, innate proclivity, native tendency, natural tendency, natural impulse, predetermination, necessity, necessitation, obligation, compulsion, subjection, stern necessity, hard necessity, dire necessity, imperious necessity, inexorable necessity, iron necessity, adverse necessity, fate, what must be, destiny, destination, fatality, fate, kismet, doom, foredoom, election, predestination, preordination, foreordination, lot fortune, fatalism, inevitableness, spell, star, stars, planet, planets, astral influence, sky, Fates, Parcae, Sisters three, book of fate, God's will, will of Heaven, wheel of Fortune, Ides of March, Hobson's choice, last shift, last resort, dernier ressort, pis aller, necessaries, necessarian, necessitarian, fatalist, automaton, necessary, needful, fated, destined, elect, spellbound compulsory, uncontrollable, inevitable, unavoidable, irresistible, irrevocable, inexorable, avoidless, resistless, involuntary, instinctive, automatic, blind, mechanical, unconscious, unwitting, unthinking, unintentional, impulsive, necessarily, of necessity, of course, ex necessitate rei, needs must, perforce, nolens volens, will he nil he, willy nilly, bon gre mal gre, willing or unwilling, coute que coute, faute de mieux, by stress of, if need be, it cannot be helped, there is no help for, there is no helping it, it will be, it must be, it needs to be, it must be so, it will have its way, the die is cast, jacta est alea, che sara sara, it is written, one's days are numbered, one's fate is sealed, Fata obstant, diis aliter visum, actum me invito factus, non est meus actus, aujord'hui roi demain rien, quisque suos patimur manes, The moving finger writes and having writ moves on, Nor all thy piety nor wit shall draw it back to ca.

Motive

N motive, springs of action, wellsprings of action, reason, ground, call, principle, by end, by purpose, mainspring, primum mobile, keystone, the why and the wherefore, pro and con, reason why, secret motive, arriere pensee, intention, inducement, consideration, attraction, loadstone, magnet, magnetism, magnetic force, allectation, allective, temptation, enticement, agacerie, allurement, witchery, bewitchment, bewitchery, charm, spell, fascination, blandishment, cajolery, seduction, seducement, honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the Sirens forbidden fruit, golden apple, persuasibility, persuasibleness, attractability, impressibility, susceptibility, softness, persuasiveness, attractiveness, tantalization, influence, prompting, dictate, instance, impulse, impulsion, incitement, incitation, press, instigation, provocation, inspiration, persuasion, suasion, encouragement, advocacy, exhortation, advice, solicitation, lobbyism, pull, incentive, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus, rowel, provocative, whet, dram, bribe, lure, decoy, decoy duck, bait, trail of a red herring, bribery and corruption, sop, sop for Cerberus, prompter, tempter, seducer, seductor, instigator, firebrand, incendiary, Siren, Circe, agent provocateur, lobbyist, impulsive, motive, suasive, suasory, persuasive, persuasory, hortative, hortatory, protreptical, inviting, tempting suasive, suasory, seductive, attractive, fascinating, provocative, induced, disposed, persuadable, spellbound, instinct with, smitten with, infatuated, inspired, by, because, therefore, from this motive, from that motive, for this reason, for that reason, for, by reason of, for the sake of, count of, out of, from, as, forasmuch as, for all the world, on principle, fax mentis incendium gloriae, temptation hath a music for all ears, to beguile many and be beguiled by one.

Exertion

N exertion, effort, strain, tug, pull, stress, throw, stretch, struggle, spell, spurt, spirt, stroke of work, stitch of work, a strong pull a long pull and a pull all together, dead lift, heft, gymnastics, exercise, exercitation, wear and tear, ado, toil and trouble, uphill work, hard work, warm work, harvest time, labor, work, toil, travail, manual labor, sweat of one's brow, swink, drudgery, slavery, fagging, hammering, limae labor, industry, industriousness, operoseness, operosity, trouble, pains, duty, resolution, energy, laboring, laborious, operose, elaborate, strained, toilsome, troublesome, wearisome, uphill, herculean, gymnastic, palestric, hard-working, painstaking, strenuous, energetic, hard at work, on the stretch, laboriously, lustily, pugnis et calcibus, with might and main, with all one's might, with a strong hand, with a sledge hammer, with much ado, to the best of one's abilities, totis viribus, vi et armis, manibus pedibusque, tooth and nail, unguibus et rostro, hammer and tongs, heart and soul, through thick and thin, by the sweat of one's brow, suo Marte, aide-toi le ciel t'aidera, and still be doing, never done, buen principio la mitad es hecha, cosa ben fatta e' fatta due volie, it is better to wear out than to rust out, labor omnia vincit, labor, wide as the earth, has its summit in Heaven, le travail du corps delivre des peines de l'esprit, manu forti, ora et labora.

Refreshment

N refreshment, bracing, recovery of strength, recuperation, restoration, revival, repair, refection, refocillation, refreshment, regalement, bait, relief, break, spell, refreshment stand, refreshments, ice cream, cold soda, soda pop, hot dogs (food), refreshing, recuperative, refreshed, untired, unwearied.

Time

N time, duration, period, term, stage, space, span, spell, season, the whole time, the whole period, space-time, course, snap, intermediate time, while, interim, interval, pendency, intervention, intermission, intermittence, interregnum, interlude, respite, era, epoch, time of life, age, year, date, decade, moment, glass of time, sands of time, march of time, Father Time, ravages of time, arrow of time, river of time, whirligig of time, noiseless foot of time, scythe, continuing, on foot, permanent, while, whilst, during, pending, during the time, during the interval, in the course of, at that point, at that point in time, for the time being, day by day, in the time of, when, meantime, meanwhile, in the meantime, in the interim, ad interim, pendente lite, de die in diem, from day to day, from hour to hour, hourly, always, for a time, for a season, till, until, up to, yet, as far as, by that time, so far, hereunto, heretofore, prior to this, up to this point, the whole time, all the time, all along, throughout, for good, hereupon, thereupon, whereupon, then, anno Domini, A, D, ante Christum, A, C, before Christ, B, C, anno urbis conditae, A, U, C, anno regni, A, R, once upon a time, one fine morning, one fine day, one day, once, time flies, tempus fugit, time runs out, time runs against, race against time, racing the clock, time marches on, time is of the essence, time and tide wait for no man, ad calendas Groecas, panting Time toileth after him in vain, 'gainst the tooth of time and razure of oblivion, rich with the spoils of time, tempus edax rerum, the long hours come and go, the time is out of joint, Time rolls his ceaseless course, Time the foe of man's dominion, time wasted is existence, used is life, truditur dies die, volat hora per orbem, carpe diem.

Spell

N spell, charm, incantation, exorcism, weird, cabala, exsufflation, cantrap, runes, abracadabra, open sesame, countercharm, Ephesian letters, bell book and candle, Mumbo Jumbo, evil eye, fee-faw- fum, talisman, amulet, periapt, telesm, phylactery, philter, fetich, fetish, agnus Dei, lamb of God, furcula, madstone, mascot, mascotte, merrythought, Om, Aum, scarab, scarabaeus, sudarium, triskelion, veronica, wishbone, swastika, fylfot, gammadion, wand, caduceus, rod, divining rod, lamp of Aladdin, wishing-cap, Fortunatus's cap.

Learning

VB learn, acquire knowledge, gain knowledge, receive knowledge, take in knowledge, drink in knowledge, imbibe knowledge, pick up knowledge, gather knowledge, get knowledge, obtain knowledge, collect knowledge, glean knowledge, glean information, glean learning, acquaint oneself with, master, make oneself master of, make oneself acquainted with, grind, cram, get up, coach up, learn by heart, learn by rote, read, spell, peruse, con over, pore over, thumb over, wade through, dip into, run the eye over, run the eye through, turn over the leaves, study, be studious, burn the midnight oil, consume the midnight oil, mind one's book, cram, go to school, go to college, go to the university, matriculate, serve an apprenticeship, serve one's apprenticeship, serve one's time, learn one's trade, be informed, be taught, drop out, leave school, quit school, graduate, transfer, take a leave, dismiss, expel, kick out of school, flunk out, be dismissed.