Meaning of spell In English

• 0 to form a word or words with the letters in the correct order:

  • How do you spell receive?

  • Shakespeare did not always spell his own name the same way.

  • Our address is 1520 Main Street, Albuquerque. Shall I spell that (out) (= say in the correct order the letters that form the word) for you?

  • I think it's important that children should be taught to spell.

• 1 to cause something bad to happen in the future:

  • The new regulations could spell disaster for small businesses.

  • This cold weather could spell trouble for gardeners.

• 2 to do something that someone else would usually be doing, especially in order to allow them to rest:

  • You've been driving for a while - do you want me to spell you?

• 3 a period of time for which an activity or condition lasts continuously:

  • I lived in Cairo for a spell.

  • She had a brief spell as captain of the team.

  • I keep having/getting dizzy spells (= periods of feeling as if I'm turning around).

  • a spell of dry weather

  • The weather forecast is for dry, sunny spells.

• 4 a period when you do something that someone else would usually be doing, especially in order to allow them to rest:

  • If we take spells (with) doing the painting, it won't seem like such hard work.

• 5 spoken words that are thought to have magical power, or (the condition of being under) the influence or control of such words:

  • The witch cast/put a spell on the prince and he turned into a frog.

  • A beautiful girl would have to kiss him to break (= stop) the spell.

  • Sleeping Beauty lay under the wicked fairy's spell until the prince woke her with a kiss.

• 6 to form a word or words with the letters in the correct order:

  • [ I ] As a child he never learned to spell.

  • [ T ] Send it to Dr. Mikolajczyk – I’ll spell that name for you (= say the letters that form the word).

• 7 to have usually something unpleasant as a result:

  • This cold weather could spell trouble for gardeners.

• 8 a period of time during which an activity or condition lasts:

  • a spell of wet weather

  • She lived in London for a short spell in the 1980s.

• 9 a magic power produced by speaking a set of words or taking a specific set of actions:

  • He was placed under a spell that could be broken only when the princess kissed him.