spell

英 [spel] 美[spɛl]

近义词stretch time fascination shift charm period

vt. 拼，拼写；意味着；招致；拼成；迷住；轮值
n. 符咒；一段时间；魅力
vi. 拼字；轮替
n. (Spell)人名；(英)斯佩尔

CET4TEM4GRE考研CET6中频词常用词汇

中文词源

spell 拼写，拼读，符咒，咒语，魔力

来自古英语 spell,故事，叙述，寓言，来自 Proto-Germanic*spellam,说，告知，来自 PIE*spel, 说，念，吟诵，背诵。引申词义符咒，咒语，魔力等。词义拼写来自古法语同源词 espelir, 拼写，拼读，发音。

词态变化

第三人称单数: spells;过去式: spelt; spelled;过去分词: spelt; spelled;现在分词: spelling;

英文词源

spell: spell: English has three distinct words spell, although two of them come from the same ultimate source. Spell ‘name the letters of a word’ [13] was adapted from Old French espeler ‘read out’. This was descended from an earlier *espeldre, which was borrowed from prehistoric Germanic *spellōn. And it was a noun relative of this, *spellam, which gave English spell ‘magic formula’ [OE]. Spell ‘period of time’ [16] may go back ultimately to Old English spelian ‘substitute’; its original meaning was ‘replace someone else at a job’, and the main modern sense ‘period of time’ did not emerge, via ‘period of work’, until the 18th century.
spell (v.1): early 14c., "read letter by letter, write or say the letters of;" c. 1400, "form words by means of letters," apparently a French word that merged with or displaced a native Old English one; both are from the same Germanic root, but the French word had evolved a different sense. The native word is Old English spellian "to tell, speak, discourse, talk," from Proto-Germanic *spellam (cognates: Old High German spellon "to tell," Old Norse spjalla, Gothic spillon "to talk, tell"), from PIE *spel- (2) "to say aloud, recite."

But the current senses seem to come from Anglo-French espeller, Old French espelir "mean, signify, explain, interpret," also "spell out letters, pronounce, recite," from Frankish *spellon "to tell" or some other Germanic source, ultimately identical with the native word.

Related: Spelled; spelling. In early Middle English still "to speak, preach, talk, tell," hence such expressions as hear spell "hear (something) told or talked about," spell the wind "talk in vain" (both 15c.). Meaning "form words with proper letters" is from 1580s. Spell out "explain step-by-step" is first recorded 1940, American English. Shakespeare has spell (someone) backwards "reverse the character of, explain in a contrary sense, portray with determined negativity."
spell (n.1): Old English spell "story, saying, tale, history, narrative, fable; discourse, command," from Proto-Germanic *spellam (see spell (v.1)). Compare Old Saxon spel, Old Norse spjall, Old High German spel, Gothic spill "report, discourse, tale, fable, myth;" German Beispiel "example." From c. 1200 as "an utterance, something said, a statement, remark;" meaning "set of words with supposed magical or occult powers, incantation, charm" first recorded 1570s; hence any means or cause of enchantment.
The term 'spell' is generally used for magical procedures which cause harm, or force people to do something against their will -- unlike charms for healing, protection, etc. ["Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore"]
Also in Old English, "doctrine; a sermon; religious instruction or teaching; the gospel; a book of the Bible;" compare gospel.
spell (v.2): "work in place of (another)," 1590s, earlier spele, from Old English spelian "to take the place of, be substitute for, represent," related to gespelia "substitute," of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to spilian "to play" (see spiel). Related: Spelled; spelling.
spell (n.2): 1620s, "a turn of work in place of another," from spell (v.2); compare Old English gespelia "a substitute." Meaning shifted toward "continuous course of work" (1706), probably via notion of shift work (as at sea) where one man or crew regularly "spelled" another. Hence "continuous stretch" of something (weather, etc.), recorded by 1728. Hence also, via the notion in give a spell (1750) "relieve another by taking a turn of work" came the sense "interval of rest or relaxation" (1845), which took the word to a sense opposite what it had at the start.

双语例句

1. Drug experts say it could spell the end of the crack epidemic.: 禁毒专家说它可能会结束强效可卡因吸食泛滥的局面。

2. A spell of poor health took the edge off her performance.: 一度身体欠佳令她表现有失水准。

3. For many years sundials have cast their spell over scientists and mathematicians.: 多年来，日晷一直吸引着科学家和数学家们。

4. How many times do I have to spell it out?: 我要仔仔细细讲多少遍？

5. Jacqueline is not relishing the prospect of another spell in prison.: 杰奎琳可不想再蹲一阵子监狱。

英英释意

1. a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation

2. a time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else);: "it's my go"; "a spell of work"

3. a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition;: "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather"; "a patch of bad weather"

4. a verbal formula believed to have magical force;: "he whispered a spell as he moved his hands"; "inscribed around its base is a charm in Balinese"

考试真题

Does this spell the doom of the physical book?

The supervisor of the laboratory is beginning to get headaches and dizzy spells because she says it's dangerous to breathe some of the chemical smoke there.

For many Americans, 2013 ended with an unusually bitter cold spell.

Shockingly, the two groups came up with plans of similar quality ( ' , although the college students had better spelling skills).

Spelling is completely regular.

If they wanted to spell something, they used code words for letters of the Alphabet.

Could you please spell your last name?

Could you spell your last name, please?

English is a dynamic language that admits new words and recognizes changes in meaning, spelling, and usage of familiar words.

For example, the first letters of "my elephant eats too many eels" spell out the hidden message "meet me".

You can hide a message by having the first letters of each word spell it out.

A badly run "year of culture" washes in and out of a place like the tide, bringing prominence for a spell but leaving no lasting benefits to the community.

Spell out their argument fully and charitably.

实用场景例句

How do you spell your surname?: 你的姓怎么拼？

I thought her name was Catherine, but it's Kathryn spelt with a ‘K ’.: 我原以为她叫Catherine，其实是Kathryn，以K开头。

I've never been able to spell.: 我一直不会拼写。

You've spelt my name wrong.: 你把我的名字拼错了。

C─A─T spells ‘cat ’.: C─A─T拼作cat。

The crop failure spelt disaster for many farmers.: 对许多农民来说，庄稼歉收就意味着灾难。

Carter will be here in an hour to spell you.: 卡特一小时后过来替换你。

You know what I mean─I'm sure I don't need to spell it out.: 你明白我的意思——肯定不需要我解释了。

Let me spell out why we need more money.: 我来说说清楚，我们为什么还需要钱。

Could you spell that name out again?: 你能不能把那个名字再拼一次？

a spell of warm weather: 一段天气温暖的日子

a cold/hot/wet/bright, etc. spell: 一段寒冷、炎热、多雨、晴朗等的日子

There will be rain at first, with sunny spells later.: 开始会有雨，雨后间晴。

She went to the doctor complaining of dizzy spells .: 她去找医生看病，说自己一阵一阵地头昏。

She had a spell as a singer before becoming an actress.: 在当演员以前她唱过一阵子歌。

I spent a brief spell on the Washington Post.: 我曾在《华盛顿邮报》工作过一小段时间。

a magic spell: 魔咒

He gave his name and then helpfully spelt it...: 他说出自己的名字，然后又热心地将它拼了出来。

How do you spell 'potato'?...: potato 这个词怎么拼写？

It's shocking how students can't spell these days...: 当今的学生们拼写上差得令人吃惊。

You accused me of inaccuracy yet you can't spell 'Middlesex'.: 你说我不够准确，但你自己却不会拼写Middlesex。

If the irrigation plan goes ahead, it could spell disaster for the birds...: 如果灌溉计划开始实施，它可能会给鸟类带来灾难。

A report has just arrived on government desks which spells more trouble.: 刚刚有一份报告被送到政府手中，这意味着将要出现更多的麻烦。

There has been a long spell of dry weather...: 很长一段时间里天气一直很干燥。

You join a barrister for two six-month spells of practical experience.: 你跟着一位出庭律师进行两期为时 6 个月的实习工作。

They say she died after a witch cast a spell on her.: 他们说她是被一个女巫施了魔法后死的。

...the kiss that will break the spell.: 能破除魔法的吻

For many years sundials have cast their spell over scientists and mathematicians...: 多年来，日晷一直吸引着科学家和数学家们。

People said he was able to cast a spell on the public.: 人们说他能吸引公众。

Even sensible Frank had fallen under her spell.: 甚至连一向理智的弗兰克都被她迷住了。

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