Definition Definition

spell - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'spell' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Spell [ n.]
- A spelk, or splinter.
- 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.
- 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.
- One of two or more persons or gangs who work by spells.
- A gratuitous helping forward of another's work; as, a logging spell.
- A story; a tale.
- A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any charm.
2 . Spell [ v. i.]
- To form words with letters, esp. with the proper letters, either orally or in writing.
- To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study.
3 . Spell [ v. t.]
- To supply the place of for a time; to take the turn of, at work; to relieve; as, to spell the helmsman.
- To tell; to relate; to teach.
- To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.
- To constitute; to measure.
- 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.

Meaning of 'spell' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . spell [ n]
Meaning (1):
- a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition
Example in sentence:
  • a patch of bad weather;
  • a spell of good weather;
  • he was here for a little while;
  • I need to rest for a piece
Meaning (2):
- a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
Example in sentence:
  • a spell of work;
  • it's my go
Meaning (3):
- a verbal formula believed to have magical force
Example in sentence:
  • he whispered a spell as he moved his hands;
  • inscribed around its base is a charm in Balinese
4 . spell [ v]
Meaning (4):
- write or name the letters that comprise the conventionally accepted form of (a word or part of a word)
Example in sentence:
  • He spelled the word wrong in this letter
Meaning (5):
- orally recite the letters of or give the spelling of
Example in sentence:
  • How do you spell this word?;
  • We had to spell out our names for the police officer
Meaning (6):
- indicate or signify
Example in sentence:
  • I'm afraid this spells trouble!
Meaning (7):
- relieve (someone) from work by taking a turn
Example in sentence:
  • She spelled her husband at the wheel
Meaning (8):
- take turns working
Example in sentence:
  • the workers spell every four hours