spelled

Verb (1)

spell (third-person singular simple present spells, present participle spelling, simple past and past participle spelled)

1. To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.
   • Vnchaine your spirits now with spelling Charmes,1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

   Synonyms:

   bespell, enspell, spellbind, bechat, becry, beglammer, bewitch, conjure, enchant, englamour

2. (UK, obsolete, slang) To hanker or yearn (for something).
   • "I have not got a coal ticket with me."
     "I am sorry you should think I was 'spelling' for a coal ticket," he interrupted; "if such an idea had occurred to me, I should have asked for it straightforwardly."1892, Thomas Wright, The pinch of poverty, page 81

Verb (2)

spell (third-person singular simple present spells, present participle spelling, simple past and past participle spelled or (chiefly UK) spelt)

1. (intransitive, sometimes, transitive) To write or say the letters that form a word or part of a word.
   • I find it difficult to spell because I'm dyslexic.
2. (obsolete, transitive) To read (something) as though letter by letter; to peruse slowly or with effort.
   • "He'll do," said Bildad, eyeing me, and then went on spelling away at his book in a mumbling tone quite audible.1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick
3. (transitive) Of letters: to compose (a word).
   • The letters “a”, “n” and “d” spell “and”.

   Synonyms:

   comprise

4. (figuratively, transitive) To clarify; to explain in detail.
   • Please spell it out for me.

See all 26 meanings of spell