Fascinate

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈfæsɪneɪt/

Definitions

1. To attract and hold the attention of someone in a way that is deeply engaging and compelling, often rendering them unable to look away or think of anything else
2. To captivate someone's mind and senses so completely that they become absorbed and entranced by something
3. To bewitch or mesmerize someone into a state of deep absorption where their attention becomes entirely fixed

Etymology: In ancient Rome, a "fascinum" was an amulet, often shaped like a phallus, that people hung around their necks, especially children, to ward off the evil eye. The belief behind it was that a malicious glance could bewitch its victim, and the charm was meant to deflect that harmful gaze. The Latin verb "fascinare" grew from this idea, meaning to enchant or bewitch, and the English verb descends from its past participle, "fascinatus." The sense of the word has shifted from supernatural harm to something gentler. Where the Roman verb was about being cast under a spell, English users first applied it to the power of a gaze or an object to hold a person completely, and the modern sense of being absorbed and entranced kept that original idea of a spell cast on the mind.

Synonyms: captivate, enthrall, intrigue

Antonyms: bore, repel