Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To deceive by guile or charm.
  • transitive verb To deprive (someone) of something by guile or deceit; cheat.
  • transitive verb To distract the attention of; divert.
  • transitive verb To amuse or charm; delight or fascinate. synonym: charm.
  • transitive verb To pass (time) pleasantly.

from The Century Dictionary.

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

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

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

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To deceive or delude (using guile).
  • verb transitive To charm, delight or captivate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb attract; cause to be enamored
  • verb influence by slyness

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English bigilen : bi-, be- + gilen, to deceive; see guile.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

be- +‎ guile

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Examples

Comments

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  • 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'.

    December 10, 2008

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

    December 10, 2008

  • I just love the way this word is spelled. It looks pretty.If that makes any sense.

    June 20, 2009