conjure

[kon-jer, kuhn-, kuhn-joor]

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.

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

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• unconjured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conjure¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of conjure¹

C13: from Old French conjurer to plot, from Latin conjūrāre to swear together, form a conspiracy, from jūrāre to swear

Example Sentences

Mr. Berry is also drawn to continuity and coherence: His writing conjures the connectedness and simple moral clarity that the people of Port William imperfectly aspire to.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

These are the people who conjured up the fantasy of antifa as a moral justification for their own organized political violence.

Read more on Salon

“After the Hunt” is an attempt to use fiction to conjure what reality kept failing to provide critics of #MeToo: A genuine example of a male victim of overzealous feminists.

Read more on Salon

If there was one player in recent Anfield history who would be backed to conjure up a match-saving moment of magic it is 'The Egyptian King', the spearhead of all Liverpool's recent successes.

Read more on BBC

Mateen Bhaghani took it from there, nailing a 23-yard field goal with two seconds left in what became the Bruins’ third consecutive victory after Maryland couldn’t conjure a miracle on the kickoff.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• exorcise 
• invoke 
• summon