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Webster 1913 Edition

Spell

Spell

,
Noun.
[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.
Spill
splinter, roll of paper,
Spell
to tell the letters of.]
A spelk, or splinter.
[Obs.]
Holland.

Spell

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Spelled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Spelling
.]
[AS.
spelian
to supply another’s place.]
To supply the place of for a time; to take the turn of, at work; to relieve;
as, to
spell
the helmsman
.

Spell

,
Noun.
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
.
A
spell
at the wheel is called a trick.
Ham. Nav. Encyc.
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.
Nothing new has happened in this quarter, except the setting in of a severe
spell
of cold weather.
Washington.
3.
One of two or more persons or gangs who work by spells.
[R.]
Their toil is so extreme that they can not endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeeded by
spells
.
Garew.
4.
A gratuitous helping forward of another's work;
as, a logging
spell
.
[Local, U.S.]

Spell

,
Noun.
[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.
2.
A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any charm.
Start not; her actions shall be holy as
You hear my
spell
is lawful.
Shakespeare

Spell

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Spelled
or
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[GREEK]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.]
Might I that legend find,
By fairies
spelt
in mystic rhymes.
T. Warton.
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.
He was much
spelled
with Eleanor Talbot.
Sir G. Buck.
3.
To constitute; to measure.
[Obs.]
The Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did
spell
but one in effect.
Fuller.
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.
The word “satire” ought to be
spelled
with i, and not with y.
Dryden.
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.
To
spell
out a God in the works of creation.
South.
To sit
spelling
and observing divine justice upon every accident.
Milton.

Spell

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To form words with letters, esp. with the proper letters, either orally or in writing.
When what small knowledge was, in them did dwell,
And he a god, who could but read or
spell
.
Dryden.
2.
To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study.
[Obs.]
Where I may sit and rightly
spell

Of every star that heaven doth shew,
And every herb that sips the dew.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition

Spell

SPELL

,
Noun.
[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

,
Verb.
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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