becharm
Definition
- Verb (Transitive):
- To attract and hold the interest or affection of someone, often in a charming or captivating way; to enchant.
- To control or influence someone or something through the use of magic spells or witchcraft; to bewitch.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- Her graceful performance on stage completely becharmed the entire audience.
- The old tale spoke of a sorceress who could becharm wild beasts, making them docile.
- He was so becharmed by her wit and laughter that he could think of nothing else.
Advanced Usage
- The word becharm is considered literary and somewhat archaic. It is more commonly found in older texts, poetry, or used for stylistic effect to evoke a sense of old-fashioned enchantment or potent magical influence.
- It can describe both positive, delightful attraction and a more sinister, manipulative form of control.
Variants and Related Words
- Charm (verb): The more common and modern synonym for both meanings: to delight/attract or to control by magic.
- Bewitch (verb): Often implies magical enchantment or an irresistible, spell-like attraction.
- Enchant (verb): To fill with delight or to cast a spell upon.
- Captivate (verb): To attract and hold interest by being unique or appealing (lacks the magical connotation).
- Becharmed (adjective): The state of being under such a spell or influence.
- The becharmed knight followed the melody into the forest.
Synonyms
- Attract, Fascinate, Enrapture, Enthrall, Mesmerize, Allure, Entrance (for the sense of captivating).
- Bewitch, Enchant, Hex, Spellbind (for the sense of using magic).
Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions
- Be charmed by: The more frequent modern construction to express being delighted or captivated.
- I was utterly charmed by the quaint village.
- Cast a charm on: A construction related to the magical sense.
- The witch cast a charm on the prince.
Related Idioms
- Under someone's spell: To be completely influenced or controlled by someone, as if by magic. This idiom relates closely to the second meaning of becharm.
- He was completely under her spell and agreed to everything she asked.
Verb
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attract; cause to be enamored
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She captured all the men's hearts
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control by magic spells, as by practicing witchcraft
