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Webster 1913 Edition

Illusion

Il-lu′sion

,
Noun.
[F.
illusion
, L.
illusio
, fr.
illu
dere,
illusum
, to illude. See
Illude
.]
1.
An unreal image presented to the bodily or mental vision; a deceptive appearance; a false show; mockery; hallucination.
To cheat the eye with blear
illusions
.
Milton.
2.
Hence: Anything agreeably fascinating and charming; enchantment; witchery; glamour.
Ye soft
illusions
, dear deceits, arise!
Pope.
3.
(Physiol.)
A sensation originated by some external object, but so modified as in any way to lead to an erroneous perception; as when the rolling of a wagon is mistaken for thunder.
☞ Some modern writers distinguish between an illusion and hallucination, regarding the former as originating with some external object, and the latter as having no objective occasion whatever.
Syn. – Delusion; mockery; deception; chimera; fallacy. See
Delusion
.
Illusion
,
Delusion
. Illusion refers particularly to errors of the sense; delusion to false hopes or deceptions of the mind. An optical deception is an illusion; a false opinion is a delusion.
E. Edwards.

Webster 1828 Edition

Illusion

ILLU'SION

,
Noun.
s as z. [L. illusio, from illudo, to illude.] Deceptive appearance; false show, by which a person is or may be deceived, or his expectations disappointed; mockery.
Ye soft illusions, dear deceits, arise!

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