Link Centre Dictionary

charm

UK/tʃɑːm/ US/t͡ʃɑɹm/ common
noun (3) verb (4)

noun

1.

attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates

  • “his smile was part of his appeal to her”
Synonyms
2.

a verbal formula believed to have magical force

  • “he whispered a spell as he moved his hands”
  • “inscribed around its base is a charm in Balinese”
Synonyms
3.

something believed to bring good luck

Synonyms

verb

1.
2.

control by magic spells, as by practicing witchcraft

Synonyms
3.

protect through supernatural powers or charms

4.

induce into action by using one''s charm

  • “She charmed him into giving her all his money”
Synonyms

Origin

Synchronically a variant of chirm, but reflects Middle English charme (or unattested *charm), from Old English ċearm (“cry, alarm”), from Proto-West Germanic *karm, masculine variant of *karmi f, from Proto-Germanic *karmiz, *karm(j)az (“cry, lament, calling sound”). Near-doublet of chirm, which is from the feminine counterpart.

Phrases

  • anti-charm quark
  • charm a bird off a branch
  • charm bracelet
  • charm offensive
  • charm pricing
  • charm school
  • charm the birds from the trees
  • …out of…

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.