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

Our critic called the show “Opulent. Sumptuous. Spectacular. Luxurious. Dazzling. Plus every other adjective for fabulousness you can conjure up.”

From The Wall Street Journal

I’d been hesitant about my decision to stay outside of the downtown area, but as the band conjured a Charleston of yore, I knew I’d made the right choice.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Everyone with a computer and a microphone has a studio,” Mayer says, and that’s not even accounting for the proliferation of music conjured up by AI out of the digital ether.

From Los Angeles Times

The term “Aqua fitness” may conjure images of seniors tepidly wielding foam noodles to ‘50s pop tunes. But Porciuncula’s water fitness classes are … “hard,” as he puts it.

From Los Angeles Times

Whenever I fantasise about a couple of hours of uninterrupted relaxation during the chilly winter months, my mind immediately conjures up images of curling up on the sofa with a deliciously good book.

From BBC

Related Words

• exorcise
• invoke
• summon