animal magnetism
Americannoun
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the power to attract others through one's physical presence, bearing, energy, etc.
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the indefinite power, presumably innate in some persons, that enables one to induce hypnosis.
noun
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facetious the quality of being attractive, esp to members of the opposite sex
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obsolete hypnotism
Etymology
Origin of animal magnetism
First recorded in 1775–85
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Still, Poe wasn't immune to quackery himself, finding trendy pseudosciences like phrenology and animal magnetism perfectly sensible.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2021
Its list of inventions and discoveries began with algebra, anchors, and animal magnetism and ended with the zodiac.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 2, 2020
The Seattle Times on June 15, 1896, played along, surely for a fee, with Herrman’s promotions: “Nearly all chronic diseases quickly yield to animal magnetism in the hands of this wonderful magnetist.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 19, 2017
He has the sort of animal magnetism and raw ambition that draws you in and keeps you there to find out just what he might do, mutter or throw next.
From New York Times ● Jan. 25, 2015
Father said Lumumba’s party won thirty-five of a hundredy-some-odd seats in the new parliament, mainly because of his natural animal magnetism.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
