beguile

verb

be·guile | \ bi-ˈgī(-ə)l

, bē-\

beguiled; beguiling

Definition of beguile

transitive verb

1 : hoodwink beguiled her classmates into doing the work for her

2 : to engage the interest of by or as if by guile His seductive voice beguiled the audience.

3 : to lead by deception beguiled into ambush

4 : to while away especially by some agreeable occupation also : divert sense 2 The seven poems were written to beguile the tedium of a sea voyage. — Vernon Louis Parrington

intransitive verb

: to deceive by wiles had intended to beguile

Other Words from beguile Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym The Beguiling History of Beguile More Example Sentences Learn More about beguile

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Other Words from beguile

beguilement \ bi-ˈgī(-ə)l-mənt

, bē- \ noun

beguiler \ bi-ˈgī-lər

, bē- \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for beguile

deceive, mislead, delude, beguile mean to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness. deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness. tried to deceive me about the cost mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional. I was misled by the confusing sign delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth. we were deluded into thinking we were safe beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving. was beguiled by false promises

The Beguiling History of Beguile

A number of English words have traveled a rather curious path from meanings related to deception or trickery to something less unwelcome. A prime example is beguile, which first appeared in English around the 13th century in the sense “to lead or draw by deception.” For the next several centuries, most of the senses of the verb had to do, in one manner or another, with deceiving. Around the time of Shakespeare, however, the word took on a new sense, “to charm.” In a similar vein, fun was first recorded at the end of the 17th century as a verb meaning “to hoax or trick (someone).” It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that it began to be used as an adjective indicating that something was enjoyable. Amuse likewise started its life as a verb meaning “to divert the attention of (as from the truth or one's real intent).”

Examples of beguile in a Sentence

She was cunning enough to beguile her classmates into doing the work for her. They were beguiled into thinking they'd heard the whole story. Almost everything in the quaint little town beguiles, from its architecture to its art to its people. He beguiled the audience with his smooth and seductive voice.

Recent Examples on the Web

Swanning around in a fluffy new ball gown in an effort to beguile Bill was not the worst offense in his playbook. — Amy Fine Collins, Town & Country, "What It Was Like Dressing Up For Bill Cunningham," 15 Aug. 2018 Gothic drama ensued from Rosalie Craig in Christopher Kane’s feathered sheath, and Coleman’s crested black-lace and tulle dress beguiled the room. — Vogue, "Claire Foy, Idris Elba, Anna Wintour, Sophie Okonedo, Ralph Fiennes, and the Cast of Hamilton Fete the 64th Evening Standard Theatre Awards," 19 Nov. 2018 And over the weekend, designers tapped into the exquisite tension between these two camps with a host of beguiling beauty looks on the runway. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "6 Beauty Moments That Ruled the New York Runways This Weekend," 10 Sep. 2018 But Langara’s natural beauty and abundant wildlife are beguiling. — Melanie Kirkpatrick, WSJ, "Cold, Windy Bliss on a Salmon Fishing Trip," 9 Aug. 2018 With Elizabeth Taylor gone, Joan Collins is the only actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood still working, still beguiling, still winning. — David Netto, Town & Country, "Living Legend Joan Collins on Her Past, Her Future, and the Very Bad Advice She Got from Warren Beatty," 7 Aug. 2018 Gannett Theater, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. 207-786-6381, www.batesdance festival.org KAREN CAMPBELL Galleries POWER OF THE FLOWER Miraculous in color and form, emblematic of love, fragility, and spirit, flowers beguile us. — BostonGlobe.com, "The Ticket: What’s happening in the local arts world," 28 June 2018 But this season already seems to have brought a bewildering — and at times beguiling — array of fads. — Diana Tsui, The Cut, "Bolo Ties and Neck Wallets," 10 July 2018 The tiki-taka that so beguiled the world from 2008 through 2012-plus has been decoded, and the players who perfected it have aged out. — Brian Straus, SI.com, "Dogged Russia Continues World Cup Run, Brings Spain's Celebrated Era to an End," 1 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beguile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

10 Jan 2019

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Time Traveler for beguile

The first known use of beguile was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for beguile

beguile

verb

English Language Learners Definition of beguile

: to trick or deceive (someone)

: to attract or interest someone

See the full definition for beguile in the English Language Learners Dictionary

beguile

verb

be·guile | \ bi-ˈgīl

beguiled; beguiling

Kids Definition of beguile

1 : trick entry 2, deceive He was beguiled with lies.

2 : to cause time to pass pleasantly … throughout the rest of our night-march he beguiled the way with whistling of many tunes …— Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped

3 : to attract or interest by or as if by charm The scenery beguiled us.