spelling

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Spell \Spell\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling.] [AS. spelian to supply another's place.] To supply the place of for a time; to take the turn of, at work; to relieve; as, to spell the helmsman. [1913 Webster]

Spelling \Spell"ing\, n. The act of one who spells; formation of words by letters; orthography. [1913 Webster]

Spell \Spell\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spelledor Spelt; p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling.] [OE. spellen, spellien, tell, relate, AS. spellian, fr. spell a saying, tale; akin to MHG. spellen to relate, Goth. spill?n.e Spell a tale. In sense 4 and those following, OE. spellen, perhaps originally a different word, and from or influenced by spell a splinter, from the use of a piece of wood to point to the letters in schools: cf. D. spellen to spell. Cf. Spell splinter.]

1.To tell; to relate; to teach. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Might I that legend find, By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes.— T. Warton.[1913 Webster]

2.To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm. "Spelled with words of power." --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot.— Sir G. Buck.[1913 Webster]

3.To constitute; to measure. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

The Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did spell but one in effect.— Fuller.[1913 Webster]

4.To tell or name in their proper order letters of, as a word; to write or print in order the letters of, esp. the proper letters; to form, as words, by correct orthography. [1913 Webster]

The word "satire" ought to be spelled with i, and not with y.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]

5.To discover by characters or marks; to read with difficulty; -- usually with out; as, to spell out the sense of an author; to spell out a verse in the Bible. [1913 Webster]

To spell out a God in the works of creation.— South.[1913 Webster]

To sit spelling and observing divine justice upon every accident.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

Spelling \Spell"ing\, a. Of or pertaining to spelling. [1913 Webster]

Spelling bee, a spelling match. [U.S.]

Spelling book, a book with exercises for teaching children to spell; a speller.

Spelling match, a contest of skill in spelling words, between two or more persons. [1913 Webster]