charm

plural charms · alternative obsolete charme

1. countableuncountableAn object, act or words believed to have magic power (usually carries a positive connotation).

   a charm against evil

   2 more examples

   It works like a charm.

   The witch, repository of hieratic lore and folk legends and occult arcana, became the distributor of philtres and unguents, electuaries and pastilles, herbs and charms and incantations - directed toward sexual pleasures and amatory satisfactions.

   1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 223

   Synonyms: incantation, spell, talisman, amulet, craft, fetish, juju, lucky charm

2. countablein pluraloftenuncountableThe ability to persuade, delight or arouse admiration.

   He had great personal charm.

   5 more examples

   She tried to win him over with her charms.

   […]the charm of Beauties powerful glance.

   1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   Muſick has Charms to ſooth a ſavage Breaſt, To ſoften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.

   1697, [William] Congreve, The Mourning Bride, a Tragedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 1

   Charms ſtrike the ſight, but merit wins the ſoul.

   1714, Alexander Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC, canto V, page 160

   Her coyneſs was conquered by aſſiduity, and at laſt ſhe conſented to reſign the treaſure of her charms to my paſſion.

   1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page 15

   Synonyms: appeal, attraction, charisma · Antonyms: boredom, dryness

3. countableuncountableA small trinket on a bracelet or chain, etc., traditionally supposed to confer luck upon the wearer.

   She wears a charm bracelet on her wrist.

   Synonyms: amulet, dangle, ornament, amulet, craft, fetish, juju, lucky charm

4. collectivecountableuncountableA group of goldfinches or other songbirds, or sometimes hummingbirds.

   It's a charm of hummingbirds, a rare sight.

   2020, Janine Urbaniak Reid, The Opposite of Certainty: Fear, Faith, and Life in Between, Thomas Nelson, page 263

   5 more examples

   Nearby, a charm of nightingales flooded the daylit branches of a wood.

   2014, Laurie Lee, I Can't Stay Long, Open Road Media

   Therefore, do not fear, but trust in your Father's unfailing care, for you are more precious than a charm of sparrows.

   2015, Wayne L. Ney, The Story of the Messiah: A Historical Account of the Life of Jesus Christ, WestBow Press, page 168

   There is the silvertoned twitter of a "charm" of Goldfinches at the thistle-heads, and, above all, there is the cheerful uproar of the Rooks once more.

   1924, John Henry Salter, Bird Life Throughout the Year, Swarthmore Press, page 182

   24th. - Two Green Sandpipers, fifty Mute Swans, and five Herons at Hedgecourt Pond; a small "charm" of Goldfinches near Lingfield (C. H. B.).

   1906, L. B. Mouritz, “Ornithological Observations in Surrey”, in Zoologist: A Monthly Journal of Natural History, Newman West, page 102

   When it was desired to attract a 'charm' of goldfinches or other birds, the string was pulled, and the braced bird was thus thrown up into the air, and on the flock settling the nets were pulled over, the captured birds transferred to a cage, in the top of which was a hole large enough to admit of a hand being inserted, the leg of a stocking being nailed round the hole and tied in a knot to prevent the birds escaping.

   1896, Arthur Thomas Fisher, Outdoor Life in England, R. Bentley & Son, page 99

   Synonyms: flock

5. countableparticleuncountablenatural sciencesA quantum number of hadrons determined by the number of charm quarks and antiquarks.

   Mesons which combine the charmed quark with the up or down antiquarks are denoted the D mesons. These mesons carry explicit charm (i.e. have a non-zero charm quantum number), just as the K mesons carry strangeness.

   2020, James E. Dodd, Ben Gripaios, The Ideas of Particle Physics, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 173

   1 more example

   In trying to understand the long life of the psi particle, physicists postulated the notion of “charm.” Charm, they say, prevents the “easy” decay of particles and thus prolongs their lifetimes. U particles, Dr. Pert said, may carry the property of charm.

   1975 July 31, Sandra Blakeslee, “Another Particle Believed Discovered”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

6. countableuncountablebusinessA second-order measure of derivative price sensitivity, expressed as the instantaneous rate of change of delta with respect to time.

   Synonyms: delta decay, DdeltaDtime

7. countableuncountableMicrosoft WindowscomputingAn icon providing quick access to a command or setting.

   Undoubtedly one of the most important pieces to navigating Windows 8, charms are actually not visible until a command to show them is given.

   2012, J. Peter Bruzzese, Using Windows 8

present singular third person charms · participle present charming · participle past charmed · past charmed · alternative obsolete charme

1. To seduce, persuade or fascinate someone or something.

   He charmed her with his dashing tales of his days as a sailor.

   2 more examples

   […]they, on thir mirth & dance / Intent, with jocond Muſic charm his ear;

   1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs. Cooke; they were sure she had had no hand in the furnishing of that atrocious house.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 58

   Synonyms: delight, enchant, enamor, entrance, fetch

2. transitiveTo use a magical charm upon; to subdue, control, or summon by incantation or supernatural influence; to ensorcel or exert a magical effect on.

   After winning three games while wearing the chain, Dan began to think it had been charmed.

   1 more example

   Nor no witch-craft charme thee.

   1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 389, column 2

   Synonyms: bewitch, enchant, ensorcel, enspell

3. To protect with, or make invulnerable by, spells, charms, or supernatural influences.

   She led a charmed life.

   1 more example

   I, in mine owne woe charm’d, / Could not finde death,[…]

   1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 393, column 1

4. obsoleterareTo make music upon.

   But ah my corage cooles ere it be warme, / For thy, content vs in thys humble ſhade: / Where no ſuch troublous tydes han vs aſſayde, / Here we our ſlender pipes may ſafely charme.

   1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “October. Ægloga Decima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 42, recto

5. To subdue or overcome by some secret power, or by that which gives pleasure; to allay; to soothe.

   Music the fierceſt griefs can charm, / And fate's ſevereſt rage diſarm: […]

   1687 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Ode for Musick on St. Cecilia’s Day”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], →OCLC, canto VII, page 378

plural charms · alternative dialectal jarm

1. The mixed sound of many voices, especially of birds or children.

   The laughter rose like the charm of starlings.

   1955, William Golding, The Inheritors, Faber and Faber, published 2005, page 152

   2 more examples

   […]Free libertie to chaunt our charmes at will:[…]

   1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “The Teares of the Muses”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC

   Sweet is the breath of morn, her riſing ſweet, With charm of earlieſt Birds;

   1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

2. A flock, group (especially of finches).

   A charm of finches flew overhead, singing into the vivid afternoon sky.

   2018, Holly Ringland, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart