Reference  |  Webster's Dictionary  |  C  |  Charlock to Chase

C — Charlock to Chase (Part 1 of 6)

Charlock
(Char"lock) n. [AS. cerlic; the latter part perh. fr. AS. leác leek. Cf. Hemlock.] (Bot.) A cruciferous plant (Brassica sinapistrum) with yellow flowers; wild mustard. It is troublesome in grain fields. Called also chardock, chardlock, chedlock, and kedlock.

Jointed charlock, White charlock, a troublesome weed (Raphanus Raphanistrum) with straw-colored, whitish, or purplish flowers, and jointed pods: wild radish.

Charlotte
(Char"lotte) n. [F.] A kind of pie or pudding made by lining a dish with slices of bread, and filling it with bread soaked in milk, and baked.

Charlotte Russe or ||Charlotte à la russe [F., lit., Russian charlotte] (Cookery), a dish composed of custard or whipped cream, inclosed in sponge cake.

Charm
(Charm) n. [F. charme, fr. L. carmen song, verse, incantation, for casmen, akin to Skr. çasman, çasa, a laudatory song, from a root signifying to praise, to sing.]

1. A melody; a song. [Obs.]

With charm of earliest birds.
Milton.
Free liberty to chant our charms at will.
Spenser.

2. A word or combination of words sung or spoken in the practice of magic; a magical combination of words, characters, etc.; an incantation.

My high charms work.
Shak.

3. That which exerts an irresistible power to please and attract; that which fascinates; any alluring quality.

Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.
Pope.
The charm of beauty's powerful glance.
Milton.

4. Anything worn for its supposed efficacy to the wearer in averting ill or securing good fortune.

5. Any small decorative object worn on the person, as a seal, a key, a silver whistle, or the like. Bunches of charms are often worn at the watch chain.

Syn. - Spell; incantation; conjuration; enchantment; fascination; attraction.

Charm
(Charm), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Charmed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Charming.] [Cf. F. charmer. See Charm, n.]

1. To make music upon; to tune. [Obs. & R.]

Here we our slender pipes may safely charm.
Spenser.

2. To subdue, control, or summon by incantation or supernatural influence; to affect by magic.

No witchcraft charm thee!
Shak.

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

Music the fiercest grief can charm.
Pope.