conjure

American  

[kon-jer, kuhn-, kuhn-joor] / ˈkɒn dʒər, ˈkʌn-, kənˈdʒʊər /

verb (used with object)

conjured, conjuring

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.

   Synonyms:

   invoke, raise, summon

4. to call or bring into existence by or as if by magic (usually followed byup ).

   She seemed to have conjured up the person she was talking about.

5. to bring to mind; recall (usually followed byup ).

   to conjure up the past.

6. to appeal to solemnly or earnestly.

   I conjure you to hear my plea.

7. Obsolete. to charge solemnly.

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verb (used without object)

conjured, conjuring

1. to call upon or command a devil or spirit by invocation or spell.

2. to practice magic.

3. to practice legerdemain.

4. Obsolete. to conspire.

noun

1. Chiefly Southern U.S. an act or instance of witchcraft, Hoodoo, or Voodoo, especially a spell.

conjure British  

/ ˈkʌndʒə /

verb

1. (intr) to practise conjuring or be a conjuror

2. (intr) to call upon supposed supernatural forces by spells and incantations

3. (tr) to appeal earnestly or strongly to

   I conjure you to help me

4. 1. a person thought to have great power or influence

   2. any name that excites the imagination

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Other Word Forms

• unconjured adjective

Etymology

Origin of conjure

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English conj(o)uren, cunjouren, from Anglo-French, Old French conjurer, from Latin conjūrāre “to join in taking an oath, form an alliance, join a plot or conspiracy,” equivalent to con- prefix meaning “with, together” + jūrāre “to take an oath, swear,” derivative of jūr- inflectional stem of jūs “law”; con-, jury ¹, justice

Example Sentences

That is something Wilson has been able to showcase more and more this season, when he has often conjured something out of nothing.

From BBC

The Boston Herald noted in a review that DeCarlo “did a phenomenal job on vocals, consistently nailing the money notes and conjuring an uncanny likeness to Delp’s overall style and tone.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Dahl made his fortune by tapping into the delight children take in being frightened, conjuring worlds where evil lurks, often in human form.

From The Wall Street Journal

Her vivid imagination would "conjure up the worse eventualities".

From BBC

The Soul-Eaters had conjured a demon from the Otherworld; they had loosed a monster on the Forest.

From Literature

Related Words

• exorcise
• invoke
• summon