Tra từ spell - Từ điển tiếng Anh - Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary

spell UK US [spel] verb [ spelled spelt spells spelling ]

FORM WORDS

1. <E > intransitive or transitive [ spelled ] or [UK AND Australian ENGLISH ALSO spelt ], [ spelled ] or [UK AND Australian ENGLISH ALSO spelt ] to form a word or words with the letters in the correct order
• "How do you spell 'receive'?" "R E C E I V E".
• Shakespeare did not always spell his own name the same way.
• Our address is 1520 Main Street, Albuquerque - shall I spell that (out) (= say in the correct order the letters that form the word) for you?
• I think it's important that children should be taught to spell (= how to form words with the letters in the correct order).
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Writing and typing

• Could you spell your name again, please?
• Some words are more difficult to spell than others.
• Does she spell her name with a C or with a K?
• She always spells my name wrong.
• He even spelled his own client's name wrongly.

RESULT

2. spell disaster/trouble, etc.
to cause something bad to happen in the future
• The new regulations could spell disaster for small businesses.
• This cold weather could spell trouble for gardeners.
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Causing things to happen

DO INSTEAD

3. transitive [ spelled ], [ spelled ] mainly US to do something which someone else would usually be doing, especially in order to allow them to rest
• You've been driving for a while - do you want me to spell you?
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Replacing and exchanging
Idiom: N O spells no
Phrasal Verb: spell something out

noun countable

PERIOD

1. <I > a period of time for which an activity or condition lasts continuously
• I lived in London for a spell.
• She had a brief spell as captain of the team.
• I keep having/getting dizzy spells (= periods of feeling as if I'm turning around).
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Periods of time - general words
2. <I > a short period of a particular type of weather
• a spell of dry weather
• The weather forecast is for dry, sunny spells.
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Weather and climate - general words

• In this current cold spell, many old people are dying needlessly of hypothermia.
• It looks as if we are in for a settled spell this week.
• After a brief spell in the army, he started working as a teacher.
• He had a brief spell in the army.
• She had a couple of spells in a mental hospital.

DO INSTEAD
3. US a period when you do something that someone else would usually be doing, especially in order to allow them to rest
• If we take spells (with) doing the painting, it won't seem like such hard work.
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Replacing and exchanging

MAGIC
4. spoken words which are thought to have magical power, or (the condition of being under) the influence or control of such words
• The witch cast/put a spell on the prince and he turned into a frog.
• A beautiful girl would have to kiss him to break (= stop) the spell.
• Sleeping Beauty lay under the wicked fairy's spell until the prince woke her with a kiss.
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Magic
Idiom: under somebody's spell