n.
Pronunciation: ' spel
Function: verb
Inflected Form: spelled \ ' speld, ' spelt \ ; spell · ing
Etymology: Middle English, to mean, signify, read by spelling out letters, from Anglo-French espeleir, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English spellian to relate, spell talk
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to read slowly and with difficulty ― often used with out
2 : to find out by study : come to understand ― often used with out <it requires some pains to spell out those decorations ― F. J. Mather>
3 a (1) : to name the letters of in order also : to write or print the letters of in order (2) : to write or print the letters of in a particular way <you can spell it either way> <I spell ed it wrong> b : to make up (a word) <what word do these letters spell > c : WRITE 1B < catnip is spell ed as one word>
4 : to add up to : MEAN <crop failure was likely to spell stark famine ― Stringfellow Barr>
intransitive verb : to form words with letters <teach children to spell > also : to spell words in a certain way < spell s the way he speaks>