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Antonyms for spell


Grammar : Noun, verb
Spell : spel
Phonetic Transcription : spɛl



Definition of spell

Origin :
  • "name the letters of," Old English spellian "to tell, speak," infl. by Old French espeller "declare, spell," from Frankish *spellon "to tell;" both Old English and Frankish from Proto-Germanic *spellan (cf. Old High German spellon "to tell," Old Norse spjalla, Gothic spillon "to talk, tell"), from PIE *spel- "to say aloud, recite." Related: Spelled; spelling.
  • Meaning "write or say the letters of a word" is c.1400, from notion of "read letter by letter, read with difficulty" (c.1300). Spell out "explain step-by-step" is first recorded 1940, American English. Spelling bee is from 1878 (earlier simply spelling, 1860).
  • noun interval, period
  • noun magical aura over an entity
  • noun seizure
  • verb mean, imply
  • verb give rest, relief
Example sentences :
  • That's his last dodge; I've seen the spell coming on, for some time.
  • Extract from : « Ester Ried Yet Speaking » by Isabella Alden
  • We could see the smile working on White Quiver like a spell.
  • Extract from : « The Trail Book » by Mary Austin
  • She leaned towards me, and beauty breathed about her as a spell.
  • Extract from : « The Bacillus of Beauty » by Harriet Stark
  • Her spell had no effect on the god, who at once cast his net over her.
  • Extract from : « The Babylonian Legends of the Creation » by British Museum
  • He was as if under a spell, and his dark, strong face glowed with the magic of it.
  • Extract from : « The Bacillus of Beauty » by Harriet Stark
  • There was a moment's silence between the two in the kitchen, but the spell was broken.
  • Extract from : « In the Midst of Alarms » by Robert Barr
  • I write only to bid you farewell, the spell is removed; I see you as you are.
  • Extract from : « Lady Susan » by Jane Austen
  • So we said we'd as lief wait a spell, though a clean pinny wasn't needed.
  • Extract from : « Quaint Courtships » by Various
  • He, old and seasoned traveller as he was, had indeed fallen under the spell.
  • Extract from : « The Leopard Woman » by Stewart Edward White
  • I saw off men's legs, or I help them through a spell of sickness.
  • Extract from : « The Underdog » by F. Hopkinson Smith

Synonyms for spell

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019