Magic

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: mag=ic

CIDE DICTIONARY

Magic, n. [OE. magique, L. magice, Gr. (sc. ), fr. . See Magic, a., and Magi.].

•  A comprehensive name for all of the pretended arts which claim to produce effects by the assistance of supernatural beings, or departed spirits, or by a mastery of secret forces in nature attained by a study of occult science, including enchantment, conjuration, witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, incantation, etc.  [1913 Webster]

  "An appearance made by some magic."  [1913 Webster]
•  The art of creating illusions which appear to the observer to be inexplicable except by some supernatural influence; it includes simple sleight of hand (legerdemain) as well as more elaborate stage magic, using special devices constructed to produce mystifying effects; as, the magic of David Copperfield. It is practised as an entertainment, by magicians who do not pretend to have supernatural powers.  [PJC]

Celestial magic, a supposed supernatural power which gave to spirits a kind of dominion over the planets, and to the planets an influence over men. -- Natural magic, the art of employing the powers of nature to produce effects apparently supernatural. -- Superstitious magic, or Geotic magic, the invocation of devils or demons, involving the supposition of some tacit or express agreement between them and human beings.

Syn. -- Sorcery; witchcraft; necromancy; conjuration; enchantment.

Magic, a. [L. magicus, Gr. , fr. : cf. F. magique. See Magi.].

•  Pertaining to the hidden wisdom supposed to be possessed by the Magi; relating to the occult powers of nature, and the producing of effects by their agency.  [1913 Webster]
•  Performed by, or proceeding from, occult and superhuman agencies; done by, or seemingly done by, enchantment or sorcery; as, a magical spell.  [1913 Webster]

  " Although with certain words magic is used more than magical, -- as, magic circle, magic square, magic wand, -- we may in general say magic or magical; as, a magic or magical effect; a magic or magical influence, etc. But when the adjective is predicative, magical, and not magic, is used; as, the effect was magical."  [1913 Webster]

  "The painter's magic skill."  [1913 Webster]

Magic circle, a series of concentric circles containing the numbers 12 to 75 in eight radii, and having somewhat similar properties to the magic square. -- Magic humming bird (Zoöl.), a Mexican humming bird (Iache magica) , having white downy thing tufts. -- Magic lantern. See Lantern. -- Magic square, numbers so disposed in parallel and equal rows in the form of a square, that each row, taken vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, shall give the same sum, the same product, or an harmonical series, according as the numbers taken are in arithmetical, geometrical, or harmonical progression. -- Magic wand, a wand used by a magician in performing feats of magic.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Magic, n., adj., & v.
--n.
1 a the supposed art of influencing the course of events by the occult control of nature or of the spirits. b witchcraft.
2 conjuring tricks.
3 an inexplicable or remarkable influence producing surprising results.
4 an enchanting quality or phenomenon.
--adj.
1 of or resulting from magic.
2 producing surprising results.
3 colloq. wonderful, exciting.
--v.tr. (magicked, magicking) change or create by magic, or apparently so.

Idiom

like magic very rapidly. magic away cause to disappear as if by magic. magic carpet a mythical carpet able to transport a person on it to any desired place. magic eye
1 a photoelectric device used in equipment for detection, measurement, etc.
2 a small cathode-ray tube used to indicate the correct tuning of a radio receiver. magic lantern a simple form of image-projector using slides. magic mushroom a mushroom producing psilocybin. magic square a square divided into smaller squares each containing a number such that the sums of all vertical, horizontal, or diagonal rows are equal.

Etymology

ME f. OF magique f. L magicus adj., LL magica n., f. Gk magikos (as MAGUS)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Magic

n. An art of converting superstition into coin. There are other arts serving the same high purpose, but the discreet lexicographer does not name them.

THESAURUS

Magic

Prospero, abracadabra, airiness, alchemy, allure, allurement, appearance, augury, aura, bewitchery, bewitching, bewitchment, black art, black magic, blaze of glory, brilliance, brilliancy, charisma, charm, charming, conjuring, delusiveness, demonolatry, devilry, deviltry, diablerie, diabolism, divination, divining, enchanting, enchantment, ensorcellment, entrancing, envelope, exorcism, extraordinary, fallaciousness, false appearance, false light, false show, falseness, fascinating, fascination, fetishism, glamor, glamour, glory, gramarye, halo, hocus-pocus, hoodoo, hypnotic, idealization, illusion, illusionism, illusionist, illusiveness, illustriousness, immateriality, incantation, juju, jujuism, legerdemain, luster, magian, magic act, magic show, magical, magician, magnetic, magnetism, marvelous, mesmerizing, miraculous, mumbo-jumbo, mystic, mystique, natural magic, necromancy, necromantic, nimbus, numinousness, obeah, occult, occultism, prestidigitation, prodigious, radiance, remarkable, resplendence, resplendency, rune, satanism, seeming, semblance, shamanism, shamanistic, show, simulacrum, sleight of hand, soothsaying, sorcerer, sorcerous, sorcery, sortilege, specious appearance, spell, spellbinding, spellcasting, splendor, stupendous, sympathetic magic, thaumaturgia, thaumaturgics, thaumaturgism, thaumaturgy, theurgy, trickery, unactuality, unbelievable, unprecedented, unreality, unsubstantiality, vampirism, voodoo, voodooism, wanga, white magic, witchcraft, witchery, witching, witchwork, witchy, wizardly, wizardry

ROGET THESAURUS

Magic

Sorcery

N sorcery, occult art, occult sciences, magic, the black art, necromancy, theurgy, thaumaturgy, demonology, demonomy, demonship, diablerie, bedevilment, witchcraft, witchery, glamor, fetishism, fetichism, feticism, ghost dance, hoodoo, obi, obiism, voodoo, voodooism, Shamanism (Esquimaux), vampirism, conjuration, bewitchery, exorcism, enchantment, mysticism, second sight, mesmerism, animal magnetism, od force, odylic force, electrobiology, clairvoyance, spiritualism, spirit rapping, table turning, divination, sortilege, ordeal, sortes Virgilianae, hocus-pocus, magic, magical, mystic, weird, cabalistic, talismanic, phylacteric, incantatory, charmed, Circean, odylic, voodoo, sorcery, occult art, occult sciences, magic, the black art, necromancy, theurgy, thaumaturgy, demonology, demonomy, demonship, diablerie, bedevilment, witchcraft, witchery, glamor, fetishism, fetichism, feticism, ghost dance, hoodoo, obi, obiism, voodoo, voodooism, Shamanism (Esquimaux), vampirism, conjuration, bewitchery, exorcism, enchantment, mysticism, second sight, mesmerism, animal magnetism, od force, odylic force, electrobiology, clairvoyance, spiritualism, spirit rapping, table turning, divination, sortilege, ordeal, sortes Virgilianae, hocus-pocus, magic, magical, mystic, weird, cabalistic, talismanic, phylacteric, incantatory, charmed, Circean, odylic, voodoo.

Deception

N deception, falseness, untruth, imposition, imposture, fraud, deceit, guile, fraudulence, fraudulency, covin, knavery, misrepresentation, bluff, straw-bail, straw bid, spoof, delusion, gullery, juggling, jugglery, slight of hand, legerdemain, prestigiation, prestidigitation, magic, conjuring, conjuration, hocus-pocus, escamoterie, jockeyship, trickery, coggery, chicanery, supercherie, cozenage, circumvention, ingannation, collusion, treachery, practical joke, trick, cheat, wile, blind, feint, plant, bubble, fetch, catch, chicane, juggle, reach, hocus, bite, card sharping, stacked deck, loaded dice, quick shuffle, double dealing, dealing seconds, dealing from the bottom of the deck, artful dodge, swindle, tricks upon travelers, stratagem, confidence trick, fake, hoax, theft, ballot-box stuffing, barney, brace game, bunko game, drop game, gum game, panel game, shell game, thimblerig, skin game, snare, trap, pitfall, decoy, gin, springe, springle, noose, hoot, bait, decoy-duck, tub to the whale, baited trap, guet-a-pens, cobweb, net, meshes, toils, mouse trap, birdlime, dionaea, Venus's flytrap, ambush, trapdoor, sliding panel, false bottom, spring-net, spring net, spring gun, mask, masked battery, mine, flytrap, green goods, panel house, Cornish hug, wolf in sheep's clothing, disguise, disguisement, false colors, masquerade, mummery, borrowed plumes, pattes de velours, mockery, copy, counterfeit, sham, make- believe, forgery, fraud, lie, a delusion a mockery and a snare, hollow mockery, whited sepulcher, painted sepulcher, tinsel, paste, junk jewelry, costume jewelry, false jewelry, synthetic jewels, scagliola, ormolu, German silver, albata, paktong, white metal, Britannia metal, paint, veneer, jerry building, man of straw, illusion, ignis fatuus, mirage, deceived, deceiving, cunning, prestigious, prestigiatory, deceptive, deceptious, deceitful, covinous, delusive, delusory, illusive, illusory, elusive, insidious, ad captandum vulgus, untrue, mock, sham, make-believe, counterfeit, snide, pseudo, spurious, supposititious, so-called, pretended, feigned, trumped up, bogus, scamped, fraudulent, tricky, factitious bastard, surreptitious, illegitimate, contraband, adulterated, sophisticated, unsound, rotten at the core, colorable, disguised, meretricious, tinsel, pinchbeck, plated, catchpenny, Brummagem, artificial, synthetic, ersatz, simulated, under false colors, under the garb of, under cover of, over the left, keep the word of promise to the ear and break it t, fronti nulla fides, ah that deceit should steal such gentle shapes, a quicksand of deceit, decipimur specie recti, falsi crimen, fraus est celare fraudem, lupus in fabula, so smooth, he daubed his vice with show of virtue.