spell English · revision 5659

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /spel/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|name the letters}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1325|origins=fro espeller}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ To name the letters is [[inh|enm|spellen]], [[bor|fro|espeller|t=to explain; to spell out]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from a Germanic source, probably [[frk|*spellōn|t=to tell]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from the same root as Old English spell “story”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Barnhart alone holds that it also partly continues Old English spellian “to tell, relate”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To read letter by letter, or slowly and with difficulty: before 1325 in Barnhart, in ''Cursor Mundi'', and the early 14th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ To write or say the letters of a word is probably from before 1400, and to form words by letters from about 1400.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) To make out or decipher is from the 16th century,^(Hoad 1986) and to signify or mean, as in ''this spells trouble'', developed later.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) ''Spelling bee'' is from 1875.^(Barnhart 1988) Word Origins notes that the development ran from “speak, tell” to reading out with difficulty, which in turn led to using the right letters.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1325 – to read letter by letter.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1400 – to form words from letters.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1875 – ''spelling bee''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To name or write the [[letter|alt=letters]] of a word in order.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of letters, to make up a word: ''c-a-t spells cat''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To mean or lead to: ''this spells disaster''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ {{homograph|2|charm}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 888}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The charm is [[inh|enm|spel]], [[inh|ang|spell|t=story, discourse, speech]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*spellam]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988) which also gave Old Saxon and Old High German spel, Old Norse spjall and Gothic spill “tale”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) Barnhart suggests cognates outside Germanic such as Greek apeilḗ “threat”, from PIE [[ine-pro|*spel-|t=to speak out loud]],^(Barnhart 1988) while Hoad calls the origin unknown.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Discourse, narration or a tale: about 888 in the OED; it is in ''Beowulf''.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old senses are obsolete, but survive in [[gospel]], “good tale”.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)^(Barnhart 1988) A set of words supposed to have magical power is from 1579,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) by way of the 14th-century compound ''nightspell'', a charm against harm at night,^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021) and an occult or fascinating influence from 1592.^(OED 1989) ''Spellbound'' is from the 18th century.^(Hoad 1986) In Scots and some English dialects, spell still meant a story or tale.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 888 – discourse, a tale.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1579 – a magic formula.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1592 – a fascinating influence.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Words believed to have magical power; a charm or [[incantation]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A strong, compelling influence or attraction: ''under her spell''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ {{homograph|3|period; relieve}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=inherited|attested=1593}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The period of time is from the verb “to relieve”, a later form of Middle English spelen,^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) [[inh|ang|spelian|t=to take the place of, represent]], related to gespelia “substitute”, of uncertain origin.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Etymonline suggests a link with Old English spilian “to play” (see [[spiel]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A relief gang, a set of workers taking a turn: 1593 in the OED and Barnhart; the verb, to work in place of another, is from 1595, in Raleigh's ''Discovery of Guiana''.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A turn of work taken to relieve another is from before 1625.^(Barnhart 1988) A continuous period of some activity is from 1706, and an indefinite stretch of time, a while, from 1728.^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) In Australia the verb also means to rest, especially a horse.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1593 – a relief gang.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1595 – to relieve at work.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1706 – a period of an activity.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1728 – a while.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A period of time, often of some weather or activity: ''a cold spell''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A turn of work.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(chiefly North American)'' To take a turn at work in place of another person.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gospel]]

+ * [[spelling]]

+ * [[spellbound]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The past tense is spelled or, chiefly British, spelt.^(Roach et al. 2011)^(Collins 2023) Spell, a splinter or a bar, is a different dialect word, perhaps a variant of speld,^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) and was the name of the trap in the game of knur and spell.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}