Word Meanings - MAGNETISM - Book Publishers vocabulary database

The property, quality, or state, of being magnetic; the manifestation of the force in nature which is seen in a magnet. 2. The science which treats of magnetic phenomena. 3. Power of attraction; power to excite the feelings and to gain

Additional info about word: MAGNETISM

The property, quality, or state, of being magnetic; the manifestation of the force in nature which is seen in a magnet. 2. The science which treats of magnetic phenomena. 3. Power of attraction; power to excite the feelings and to gain the affections. "By the magnetism of interest our affections are irresistibly attracted." Glanvill. Animal magnetism, a force, more or less analogous to magnetism, which, it has been alleged, is produced in animal tissues, and passes from one body to another with or without actual contact. The existence of such a force, and its potentiality for the cure of disease, were asserted by Mesmer in 1775. His theories and methods were afterwards called mesmerism, a name which has been popularly applied to theories and claims not put forward by Mesmer himself. See Mesmerism, Biology, Od, Hypnotism. -- Terrestrial magnetism, the magnetic force exerted by the earth, and recognized by its effect upon magnetized needles and bars.

Related words: (words related to MAGNETISM)

• BELLMAN
  A man who rings a bell, especially to give notice of anything in the streets. Formerly, also, a night watchman who called the hours. Milton.
• BELIAL
  An evil spirit; a wicked and unprincipled person; the personification of evil. What concord hath Christ with Belia 2 Cor. vi. 15. A son of Belial, a worthless, wicked, or thoroughly depraved person. 1 Sam. ii. 12.
• BESCRATCH
  To tear with the nails; to cover with scratches.
• BEASTLIHEAD
  Beastliness. Spenser.
• BEWRAP
  To wrap up; to cover. Fairfax.
• BERGOMASK
  A rustic dance, so called in ridicule of the people of Bergamo, in Italy, once noted for their clownishness.
• BESCATTER
  1. To scatter over. 2. To cover sparsely by scattering ; to strew. "With flowers bescattered." Spenser.
• BELEAVE
  To leave or to be left. May.
• BEVELMENT
  The replacement of an edge by two similar planes, equally inclined to the including faces or adjacent planes.
• BESCORN
  To treat with scorn. "Then was he bescorned." Chaucer.
• BETSO
  A small brass Venetian coin.
• STATESMANLIKE
  Having the manner or wisdom of statesmen; becoming a statesman.
• BETOKEN
  1. To signify by some visible object; to show by signs or tokens. A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow . . . Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. Milton. 2. To foreshow by present signs; to indicate something future by that which is seen
• BECHE DE MER
  The trepang.
• BELLADONNA
  An herbaceous European plant with reddish bell-shaped flowers and shining black berries. The whole plant and its fruit are very poisonous, and the root and leaves are used as powerful medicinal agents. Its properties are largely due
• BETROTHAL
  The act of betrothing, or the fact of being betrothed; a mutual promise, engagement, or contract for a future marriage between the persons betrothed; betrothment; affiance. "The feast of betrothal." Longfellow.
• MAGNETICIAN
  One versed in the science of magnetism; a magnetist.
• BESLUBBER
  To beslobber.
• BENIM
  To take away. Ire . . . benimeth the man fro God. Chaucer.
• BESIEGER
  One who besieges; -- opposed to the besieged.
• GABBER
  1. A liar; a deceiver. 2. One addicted to idle talk.
• COMBER
  1. One who combs; one whose occupation it is to comb wool, flax, etc. Also, a machine for combing wool, flax, etc. 2. A long, curling wave.
• HAIRBELL
  See HAREBELL
• ORBED
  Having the form of an orb; round. The orbèd eyelids are let down. Trench.
• LAMBERT PINE
  The gigantic sugar pine of California and Oregon (Pinus Lambertiana). It has the leaves in fives, and cones a foot long. The timber is soft, and like that of the white pine of the Eastern States.
• GERBE
  A kind of ornamental firework. Farrow.
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  To stuff; to lard; to farce. Wit larded with malice, and malice forced with wit. Shak.
• WATER-BEARER
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• GABELER
  A collector of gabels or taxes.
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  Corymbose.
• ABERRATE
  To go astray; to diverge. Their own defective and aberrating vision. De Quincey.