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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [spell]
SPELL, n. [The verb primarily signifies to throw or drive, and is probably formed on the root of L. pello. In some of the application of spell, we observe the sense of turn. We observe the same in throw, warp, cant, &c.] 1. A story; a tale.2. A charm consisting of some words of occult power. Start not; her actions shall be holy; you hear my speel is lawful. Begin, begin; the mystic spell prepare.3. A turn of work; relief; turn of duty. Take a spell at the pump. Their toil is so extreme, that they cannot endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeed by spells.4. In New England, a short time; a little time. [Not elegant.]5. A turn of gratuitous labor, sometimes accompanied with presents. People give their neighbors a spell.SPELL, v.t. pret. and pp. spelled or spelt. 1. To tell or name the letters of a word, with a proper division of syllables, for the with a proper division of syllables, for the purpose of learning the pronunciation. In this matter children learn to read by first spelling the words.2. To write or print with the proper letters; to form words by correct orthography. The word satire ought to be spelled with i, and not with y.3. To take another's place or turn temporarily in any labor or service. [This is a popular use of the word in New England.]4. To charm; as spelled with words of power.5. To read; to discover by characters or marks; with out; as, to speel out the sense of an author. We are not left to spell out a God in the works of creation.6. To tell; to relate; to teach. [Not in use.]SPELL, v.i. 1. To form words with the proper letters, either in reading or writing. He knows not how to spell. Our orthography is so irregular that most persons never learn to spell.2. To read.
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Evolution (or devolution) of this word [spell]
1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
SPELL, n. [The verb primarily signifies to throw or drive, and is probably formed on the root of L. pello. In some of the application of spell, we observe the sense of turn. We observe the same in throw, warp, cant, &c.] 1. A story; a tale.2. A charm consisting of some words of occult power. Start not; her actions shall be holy; you hear my speel is lawful. Begin, begin; the mystic spell prepare.3. A turn of work; relief; turn of duty. Take a spell at the pump. Their toil is so extreme, that they cannot endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeed by spells.4. In New England, a short time; a little time. [Not elegant.]5. A turn of gratuitous labor, sometimes accompanied with presents. People give their neighbors a spell.SPELL, v.t. pret. and pp. spelled or spelt. 1. To tell or name the letters of a word, with a proper division of syllables, for the with a proper division of syllables, for the purpose of learning the pronunciation. In this matter children learn to read by first spelling the words.2. To write or print with the proper letters; to form words by correct orthography. The word satire ought to be spelled with i, and not with y.3. To take another's place or turn temporarily in any labor or service. [This is a popular use of the word in New England.]4. To charm; as spelled with words of power.5. To read; to discover by characters or marks; with out; as, to speel out the sense of an author. We are not left to spell out a God in the works of creation.6. To tell; to relate; to teach. [Not in use.]SPELL, v.i. 1. To form words with the proper letters, either in reading or writing. He knows not how to spell. Our orthography is so irregular that most persons never learn to spell.2. To read. | SPELL, n. [Sax. spel or spell, a story, narration, fable, speech, saying, fame, report, sudden rumor, a magic charm or song. Hence gospel, Sax. god-spell; In G. spiel is play, sport; spielen, to play, D. speelen, Sw. spela, Dan. spiller. But this is a different application of the same action. The verb primarily signifies to throw or drive, and is probably formed on the root of L. pello, Gr. βαλλω. See Peal and Appeal, and Class Bl, No. 1, Eth. In some of the applications of spell, we observe the sense of turn. We observe the same in throw, warp, cant, &c.]- A story; a tale. [Obs.] – Chaucer.
- A charm consisting of some words of occult power.
Start not; her actions shall be holy; / You hear my spell is lawful. – Shak.
Begin, begin, the mystic spell prepare. – Milton.
- A turn of work; relief; turn of duty. Take a spell at the pump. – Seamen.
Their toil is so extreme, that they can not endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeeded by spells. – Carew.
- In New England, a short time; a little time. [Not elegant.]
- A turn of gratuitous labor, sometimes accompanied with presents. People give their neighbors a spell. – N. England.
SPELL, v.i.- To form words with the proper letters, either in reading or writing. He knows not how to spell. Our orthography is so irregular that most persons never learn to spell.
- To read. – Milton.
SPELL, v.t. [pret. and pp. spelled or spelt. Sax. spellian, spelligan, to tell, to narrate, to discourse, which gives our sense of spell in reading letters; spelian, speligan, to take another's turn in labor; D. spellen, to spell, as words; Fr. epeler.]- To tell or name the letters of a word, with a proper division of syllables, for the purpose of learning the pronunciation. In this manner children learn to read by first spelling the words.
- To write or print with the proper letters; to form words by correct orthography.
The word satire ought to be spelled with i, and not with y. – Dryden.
- To take another's place or turn temporarily in any labor or service.
[This is a popular use of the word in New England.]
- To charm; as, spelled with words of power. – Dryden.
- To read; to discover by characters or marks; write out; as, to spell out the sense of an author. – Milton.
We are not left to spell out a God in the works of creation. – South.
- To tell; to relate; to teach. [Not in use.] – Wotton.
| Spell
- A spelk, or splinter.
- To supply the place of for a time] to take the turn of, at work;
to relieve; as, to spell the helmsman.
- 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.
- A story] a tale.
- To tell; to relate; to teach.
- To
form words with letters, esp. with the proper letters, either orally
or in writing.
- 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.
- A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be
endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any
charm.
- To put under the influence of a spell; to
affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.
- To study by noting characters; to gain
knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study.
- One of two or more persons or gangs who
work by spells.
- To constitute; to measure.
- A gratuitous helping forward of another's
work; as, a logging spell.
- 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.
- 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.
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1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
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Spell SPELL, noun [The verb primarily signifies to throw or drive, and is probably formed on the root of Latin pello. In some of the application of spell we observe the sense of turn. We observe the same in throw, warp, cant, etc.] 1. A story; a tale. 2. A charm consisting of some words of occult power. Start not; her actions shall be holy; you hear my speel is lawful. Begin, begin; the mystic spell prepare. 3. A turn of work; relief; turn of duty. Take a spell at the pump. Their toil is so extreme, that they cannot endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeed by spells. 4. In New England, a short time; a little time. [Not elegant.] 5. A turn of gratuitous labor, sometimes accompanied with presents. People give their neighbors a spell SPELL, verb transitive preterit tense and participle passive spelled or spelt. 1. To tell or name the letters of a word, with a proper division of syllables, for the with a proper division of syllables, for the purpose of learning the pronunciation. In this matter children learn to read by first spelling the words. 2. To write or print with the proper letters; to form words by correct orthography. The word satire ought to be spelled with i, and not with y. 3. To take another's place or turn temporarily in any labor or service. [This is a popular use of the word in New England.] 4. To charm; as spelled with words of power. 5. To read; to discover by characters or marks; with out; as, to speel out the sense of an author. We are not left to spell out a God in the works of creation. 6. To tell; to relate; to teach. [Not in use.] SPELL, verb intransitive 1. To form words with the proper letters, either in reading or writing. He knows not how to spell Our orthography is so irregular that most persons never learn to spell 2. To read.
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217 |
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* As a note, I have purchased each of these products. In fact, as we have been developing the Project:: 1828 Reprint, I have purchased several of the bulky hard-cover dictionaries. My opinion is that the 2000-page hard-cover edition is the only good viable solution at this time. The compact edition was a bit disappointing and the CD-ROM as well. |
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