Main Entry:

¹spell

Pronunciation:

\ˈspel\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

spelled \ˈspeld, ˈspelt\ ; spell·ing

Etymology:

Middle English, to mean, signify, read by spelling out letters, from Anglo-French espeleir, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English spellian to relate, spell talk

Date:

14th century

transitive verb1: to read slowly and with difficulty —often used with out2: to find out by study : come to understand —often used with out<it requires some pains to spell out those decorations — F. J. Mather>3 a (1): to name the letters of in order ; also : to write or print the letters of in order (2): to write or print the letters of in a particular way b: to make up (a word) <what word do these letters spell> c: write 1b <catnip is spelled as one word>4: to add up to : mean <crop failure was likely to spell stark famine — Stringfellow Barr>intransitive verb: to form words with letters <teach children to spell> ; also : to spell words in a certain way <spells the way he speaks>