spell

n. 1. 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. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. 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. Washington. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

Their toil is so extreme that they can not endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeeded by spells. Garew. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A gratuitous helping forward of another's work; as, a logging spell. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.[ AS. spell a saying, tale, speech; akin to OS. & OHG. spel, Icel. spjall, Goth. spill. Cf. Gospel, Spell to tell the letters of. ] 1. A story; a tale. [ Obs. ] “Hearken to my spell.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. 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. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spelled r Spelt p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling. ] [ OE. spellen, spellien, tell, relate, AS. spellian, fr. spell a saying, tale; akin to MHG. spellen to relate, Goth. spill&unr_;n.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. ] 1. To tell; to relate; to teach. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Might I that legend find,
By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes. T. Warton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm. “Spelled with words of power.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot. Sir G. Buck. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To constitute; to measure. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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

4. 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. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. 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. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

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. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. 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. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

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

a. Capable of being spelt. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spellbound p. pr. & vb. n. Spellbinding. ] To bind or hold by, or as if by, a spell or charm; to entrance or fascinate, esp. by eloquence of speech, as in a political campaign. -- Spell"bind`er n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

a. Bound by, or as by, a spell. [ 1913 Webster ]