cantrip
Definitions
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A charm; a spell; an incantation.
- n. A piece of mischief artfully or adroitly performed; a trick.
Examples
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'Mistress Mary,' said Elspeth, 'you never told us anything before that was not true; tell us if this was a Hallowe’en cantrip, and make an end of it.'
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Cantrips are witch spells, incantations, or the black art witches use when going on with their witcheries: various snatches of cantrip rhyme are yet afloat on the atmosphere of tradition, not unsimilar to what Shakespeare introduces in his tragedy of Macbeth.
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She and Jean Dickson, another witch, cured a neighbour's child by cutting off a dog's head, with which they played some devilish cantrip that healed the bairn.
Note
This word is Scottish in origin.
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