An object, act or words believed to have magic power (usually carries a positive connotation).
a charm against evil
It works like a charm.
1 more example
The witch, repository of hieratic lore and folk legends and occult arcana, became the distributor of philtres and unguents, electuaries and pastilles, herbs and charms and incantations - directed toward sexual pleasures and amatory satisfactions.1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 223:
2
In plural, Often The ability to persuade, delight or arouse admiration.
He had great personal charm.
She tried to win him over with her charms.
4 more examples
[…]the charm of Beauties powerful glance.1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Muſick has Charms to ſooth a ſavage Breaſt, To ſoften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.1697, [William] Congreve, The Mourning Bride, a Tragedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 1:
Charms ſtrike the ſight, but merit wins the ſoul.1714, Alexander Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC, canto V, page 160:
Her coyneſs was conquered by aſſiduity, and at laſt ſhe conſented to reſign the treaſure of her charms to my paſſion.1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page 15:
3
A small trinket on a bracelet or chain, etc., traditionally supposed to confer luck upon the wearer.
She wears a charm bracelet on her wrist.
4
The collective noun for a group of goldfinches.
5
Natural sciences, Physical sciences, PhysicsParticle A quantum number of hadrons determined by the number of charm quarks and antiquarks.
In trying to understand the long life of the psi particle, physicists postulated the notion of “charm.” Charm, they say, prevents the “easy” decay of particles and thus prolongs their lifetimes. U particles, Dr. Pert said, may carry the property of charm.1975 July 31, Sandra Blakeslee, “Another Particle Believed Discovered”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
Mesons which combine the charmed quark with the up or down antiquarks are denoted the D mesons. These mesons carry explicit charm (i.e. have a non-zero charm quantum number), just as the K mesons carry strangeness.2020, James E. Dodd, Ben Gripaios, The Ideas of Particle Physics, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 173:
6
Business, Finance A second-order measure of derivative price sensitivity, expressed as the instantaneous rate of change of delta with respect to time.
Undoubtedly one of the most important pieces to navigating Windows 8, charms are actually not visible until a command to show them is given.2012, J. Peter Bruzzese, Using Windows 8:
charm
verb
Etymology From Middle English charme, from Old French charme (“chant, magic spell”), from Latin carmen (“song, incantation”).
1
To seduce, persuade or fascinate someone or something.
He charmed her with his dashing tales of his days as a sailor.
[…]they, on thir mirth & dance / Intent, with jocond Muſic charm his ear;1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
1 more example
The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs. Cooke; they were sure she had had no hand in the furnishing of that atrocious house.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 58:
2
To use a magical charm upon; to subdue, control, or summon by incantation or supernatural influence; to ensorcel or exert a magical effect on.
After winning three games while wearing the chain, Dan began to think it had been charmed.
Nor no witch-craft charme thee.1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 389, column 2:
3
To protect with, or make invulnerable by, spells, charms, or supernatural influences.
She led a charmed life.
I, in mine owne woe charm’d, / Could not finde death,[…]1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 393, column 1:
But ah my corage cooles ere it be warme, / For thy, content vs in thys humble ſhade: / Where no ſuch troublous tydes han vs aſſayde, / Here we our ſlender pipes may ſafely charme.1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “October. Ægloga Decima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 42, recto:
5
To subdue or overcome by some secret power, or by that which gives pleasure; to allay; to soothe.
Music the fierceſt griefs can charm, / And fate's ſevereſt rage diſarm: […]1687 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Ode for Musick on St. Cecilia’s Day”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], →OCLC, canto VII, page 378:
Etymology Synchronically a variant of chirm, but reflects Middle English charme (or unattested *charm), from Old English ċearm (“cry, alarm”), from Proto-West Germanic *karm, masculine variant of *karmi f, from Proto-Germanic *karmiz, *karm(j)az (“cry, lament, calling sound”). Near-doublet of chirm, which is from the feminine counterpart.
1
The mixed sound of many voices, especially of birds or children.
[…]Free libertie to chaunt our charmes at will:[…]1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “The Teares of the Muses”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC:
Sweet is the breath of morn, her riſing ſweet, With charm of earlieſt Birds;1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
1 more example
The laughter rose like the charm of starlings.1955, William Golding, The Inheritors, Faber and Faber, published 2005, page 152:
2
A flock, group (especially of finches).
A charm of finches flew overhead, singing into the vivid afternoon sky.2018, Holly Ringland, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart: