charm 1
— charmedly /chahr"mid lee/ , adv. — charmer , n. — charmless , adj. — charmlessly , adv.
/chahrm/ , n.
1. a power of pleasing or attracting, as through personality or beauty: charm of manner; the charm of a mountain lake.
2. a trait or feature imparting this power.
3. charms , attractiveness.
4. a trinket to be worn on a bracelet, necklace, etc.
5. something worn or carried on one's person for its supposed magical effect; amulet.
6. any action supposed to have magical power.
7. the chanting or recitation of a magic verse or formula.
8. a verse or formula credited with magical power.
9. Physics. a quantum number assigned the value +1 for one kind of quark, -1 for its antiquark, and 0 for all other quarks. Symbol: C Cf. charmed quark .
v.t.
10. to delight or please greatly by beauty, attractiveness, etc.; enchant: She charmed us with her grace.
11. to act upon (someone or something) with or as with a compelling or magical force: to charm a bird from a tree.
12. to endow with or protect by supernatural powers.
13. to gain or influence through personal charm: He charmed a raise out of his boss.
v.i.
14. to be fascinating or pleasing.
15. to use charms.
16. to act as a charm.
[ 1250-1300; ME charme carminem, acc. of carmen song, magical formula canmen (by dissimilation), equiv. to can ( ere ) to sing + -men n. suffix ]
Syn. 1. attractiveness, allurement. 4. bauble. 5. talisman. 6. enchantment, spell. 8. spell. 10. fascinate, captivate, entrance, enrapture, ravish; allure, bewitch.
charm 2
/chahrm/ , n. Brit. Dial.
blended singing of birds, children, etc.
[ bef. 1000; ME cherm ( e ), OE cerm, ceorm, var. of ci ( e ) rm outcry ]