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conjure

 - 4 dictionary results

con⋅jure

  [kon-jer, kuhn- for 1–5, 8–10, 12; kuhn-joor for 6, 7, 11] verb, -jured, -jur⋅ing, noun
Use conjure in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to affect or influence by or as if by invocation or spell.
2. to effect, produce, bring, etc., by or as by magic: to conjure a miracle.
3. to call upon or command (a devil or spirit) by invocation or spell.
4. to call or bring into existence by or as if by magic (usually fol. by up): She seemed to have conjured up the person she was talking about.
5. to bring to mind; recall (usually fol. by up): to conjure up the past.
6. to appeal to solemnly or earnestly: I conjure you to hear my plea.
7. Obsolete. to charge solemnly.
–verb (used without object)
8. to call upon or command a devil or spirit by invocation or spell.
9. to practice magic.
10. to practice legerdemain.
11. Obsolete. to conspire.
–noun
12. Chiefly Southern U.S. an act or instance of witchcraft or voodoo, esp. a spell.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME conjuren < AF, OF conjurer < L conjūrāre, equiv. to con- con- + jūrāre to swear, deriv. of jūs law; cf. jury 1 , justice

Synonyms:
3. summon, raise, invoke.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To conjure
con·jure   (kŏn'jər, kən-jŏŏr')   
v.   con·jured, con·jur·ing, con·jures

v.   tr.

    1. To summon (a devil or spirit) by magical or supernatural power.

    2. To influence or effect by or as if by magic: tried to conjure away the doubts that beset her.

    3. To call or bring to mind; evoke: "Arizona conjures up an image of stark deserts for most Americans" (American Demographics).

    4. To imagine; picture: "a sight to store away, then conjure up someday when they were no longer together" (Nelson DeMille).

    1. To call or bring to mind; evoke: "Arizona conjures up an image of stark deserts for most Americans" (American Demographics).

    2. To imagine; picture: "a sight to store away, then conjure up someday when they were no longer together" (Nelson DeMille).

  3. Archaic To call on or entreat solemnly, especially by an oath.

v.   intr.

  1. To perform magic tricks, especially by sleight of hand.

    1. To summon a devil by magic or supernatural power.

    2. To practice black magic.

n.   Chiefly Southern U.S. (kŏn'jər)
See hoodoo.
adj.   Chiefly Southern U.S.
Of or practicing folk magic: a conjure woman.

[Middle English conjuren, from Old French conjurer, to use a spell, from Late Latin coniūrāre, to pray by something holy, from Latin, to swear together : com-, com- + iūrāre, to swear; see yewes- in Indo-European roots.]
hoo·doo   (hōō'dōō)   
n.   pl. hoo·doos

    1. Magic healing and control, especially in African-based folk medicine in the United States and the Caribbean. Also called conjure.

    2. A practitioner of hoodoo.

    3. Bad luck.

    4. One that brings bad luck.

  2. Voodoo.

    1. Bad luck.

    2. One that brings bad luck.

  4. Geology A column of eccentrically shaped rock, produced by differential weathering.

tr.v.   hoo·dooed, hoo·doo·ing, hoo·doos

  1. To practice hoodoo on; affect with a charm or curse.

  2. To bring bad luck to.


[Of West African origin, possibly from voodoo.]
hoo'doo·ism n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

conjure 
c.1280, from O.Fr. conjurer, from L. conjurare "to swear together, conspire," from com- "together" + jurare "to swear." Magical sense is c.1300, for "constraining by spell" a demon to do one's bidding.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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