Bewitch

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /bəˈwɪt͡ʃ/

Definitions

1. To cast a spell over someone or something, or to captivate and charm them in an irresistible way
2. To put a magical influence on a person or object to exert control ; to charm someone so thoroughly that their attention or affection is held completely
3. To enchant through supernatural means, causing a person or thing to be under a magical influence ; to attract or fascinate someone in a way that is hard to resist

Etymology: Bewitch is a plain compound: the prefix "be-" added to "witch," which in Middle English meant a person, usually a woman, who practised sorcery. The prefix in "be-" gave verbs the sense of acting upon something or affecting it thoroughly, so "bewitch" meant to subject someone to witchcraft, to put them under a spell. Middle English had the forms "bewicchen" and "bewycchen" before the modern spelling settled. The surprise is how little the word has moved from its root. "Witch" itself traces back to Old English "wicce," a feminine form, with "wicca" for a male practitioner, and the Middle English verb simply turned that noun into an action done to another person. The modern sense of being charmed or captivated grew out of this literal meaning of casting a spell over someone, so a person described as bewitched by a face or a piece of music is being spoken of in the same terms as a victim of sorcery.

Synonyms: charm, enchant, captivate, entrance, spellbind

Antonyms: bore, disenchant, repel, dissuade, unfascinate