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  1. beguile love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. v. To deceive by guile; delude. See Synonyms at deceive.
  2. v. To take away from by or as if by guile; cheat: a disease that has beguiled me of strength.
  3. v. To distract the attention of; divert: "to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming” ( Abraham Lincoln).
  4. v. To pass (time) pleasantly.
  5. v. To amuse or charm; delight. See Synonyms at charm.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. To delude with guile; deceive; impose on by artifice or craft.
  2. To elude or check by artifice or craft; foil.
  3. To deprive of irksomeness or unpleasantness by diverting the mind; render unfelt; cause to pass insensibly and pleasantly; while away.
  4. To transform as if by charm or guile; charm.
  5. To entertain as with pastimes; amuse.
  6. To beguile of, to deprive of by guile or pleasing artifice.
  7. Synonyms Cheat, mislead, inveigle.
  8. 3–5. Amuse, Divert, etc. (see amuse); cheer, solace.

Wiktionary

  1. v. transitive To deceive or delude (using guile).
  2. v. transitive To charm, delight or captivate.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. v. To delude by guile, artifice, or craft; to deceive or impose on, as by a false statement; to lure.
  2. v. obsolete To elude, or evade by craft; to foil.
  3. v. To cause the time of to pass without notice; to relieve the tedium or weariness of; to while away; to divert.

WordNet 3.0

  1. v. attract; cause to be enamored
  2. v. influence by slyness

Etymologies

  1. be- +‎ guile (Wiktionary)
  2. Middle English bigilen : bi-, be- + gilen, to deceive; see guile. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

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Lists

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Comments

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  • wordlover42 I just love the way this word is spelled. It looks pretty.If that makes any sense. Jun 20, 2009

  • sionnach "We spent the whole time in Kona and Hilo", said Tom beguilingly. Dec 10, 2008

  • bilby
    Surprised by joy — impatient as the Wind
    I turned to share the transport–Oh! with whom
    But Thee, deep buried in the silent tomb,
    That spot which no vicissitude can find?
    Love, faithful love, recalled thee to my mind–
    But how could I forget thee? Through what power,
    Even for the least division of an hour,
    Have I been so beguiled as to be blind
    To my most grievous loss?–That thought’s return
    Was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore,
    Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn,
    Knowing my heart’s best treasure was no more;
    That neither present time, nor years unborn
    Could to my sight that heavenly face restore.

    - William Wordsworth, 'Surprised by Joy – Impatient as the Wind'.
    Dec 10, 2008

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‘beguile’ has been looked up 6441 times, loved by 27 people, added to 113 lists, commented on 3 times, and has a Scrabble score of 10.