| 释义 |
witchery|ˈwɪtʃərɪ|
[f. witch n.2 or v.1 + -ery.]
1. The use or practice of witchcraft.
1546Bale Engl. Votaries i. 35 b, Besydes the art Magyck, Sortilege..Geomancye, and witcherye, that was taught there also. 1584R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. iii. x. 57 She sawe not anie one carrieng a faggot to the fier, but she would saie it was to make a fier to burne hir for witcherie. 1637B. Jonson Sad Shepherd ii. vi, Cla. What devil's pater noster mumbles she? Alk. Stay, you will heare more of her witcherie. 1727De Foe Syst. Magic i. i. (1840) 32 There is a manifest difference between magic, which is wisdom and supernatural knowledge, and the witchery and conjuring by which we now understand the word. 1810Southey Kehama iv. iii, While young and old assembled round, Listened, as if by witchery bound. 1854Milman Lat. Christ. II. 328 No one answering the citation to accuse the Empress of adultery or witchery.
attrib.1627R. Bernard Guide Grand-Jury Men 19 The parents..sent for a wise woman, who played her witchery trickes. 1650A. B. Mutatus Polemo 12 Like the blacke Prince of the ayre in his witchery Apparitions. 1906Daily Chron. 28 Aug. 6/2 Prisoner burnt some candles over the fire,..and used some witchery words.
b. pl. Deeds of witchcraft.
1591Percivall Sp. Dict., Hechizos, witcheries, witch⁓craft. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage vii. vii. 575 The Heathens in those parts are giuen to Auguries and Witcheries. 1634Milton Comus 523 Great Comus, Deep skill'd in all his mothers witcheries. 1781Cowper Expost. 494 As dark as witch'ries of the night. 1819Scott Ivanhoe xxxvii, Rebecca, daughter of Isaac of York—a woman infamous for sortileges and for witcheries. 1874H. H. Cole Catal. Ind. Art S. Kens. Mus. App. 306 Spells, enchantments, and witcheries are supposed to be incessantly at work.
2. fig. Charming or fascinating power or influence.
1582G. Harvey Marginalia (1913) 191 Y⊇ sweet bayte, & lure of curtesy: The cunningist and most intellectual witchery of all other. a1677Barrow Serm. Ps. cxix. 60 Wks. 1686 III. 194 If we can disengage our selves from the witcheries of present allurement. 1798Wordsw. P. Bell i. 265 He never felt The witchery of the soft blue sky! 1834A. Cunningham Burns' Wks. I. Life 355 The witchery of his conversation, and the magic of his songs, were too powerful for the resolution of some. 1844Kinglake Eothen v, A beautiful Greek woman..soothing him with the witchery of her guitar.
b. jocular. A body of bewitching women.
1777T. Twining in Recreat. & Stud. (1882) 54 Remember me to Mrs. B. and the whole witchery. |