conjure

[ kon-jer, kuhn- kuhn-joor ]

verb (used with object)

, con·jured, con·jur·ing.

1. to affect or influence by or as if by invocation or spell.
2. to effect, produce, bring, etc., by or as by magic:

   to conjure a miracle.

3. to call upon or command (a devil or spirit) by invocation or spell.

   Synonyms: invoke, raise, summon

4. to call or bring into existence by or as if by magic (usually followed by up ):

   She seemed to have conjured up the person she was talking about.

5. to bring to mind; recall (usually followed by up ):

   to conjure up the past.

6. to appeal to solemnly or earnestly:

   I conjure you to hear my plea.

7. Obsolete. to charge solemnly.

verb (used without object)

, con·jured, con·jur·ing.

1. to call upon or command a devil or spirit by invocation or spell.
2. to practice magic.
3. to practice legerdemain.
4. Obsolete. to conspire.

noun

1. Chiefly Southern U.S. an act or instance of witchcraft, Hoodoo, or Voodoo, especially a spell.

conjure

/ ˈkʌndʒə /

verb

1. intr to practise conjuring or be a conjuror
2. intr to call upon supposed supernatural forces by spells and incantations
3. kənˈdʒʊə tr to appeal earnestly or strongly to

   I conjure you to help me

4. a name to conjure with
   1. a person thought to have great power or influence
   2. any name that excites the imagination

Other Words From

• un·con·jured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conjure¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English conj(o)uren, cunjouren, from Anglo-French, Old French conjurer, from Latin conjūrāre “to join in taking an oath, form an alliance, join a plot or conspiracy,” equivalent to con- prefix meaning “with, together” + jūrāre “to take an oath, swear,” derivative of jūr- inflectional stem of jūs “law”; con-, jury ¹, justice

Word History and Origins

Origin of conjure¹

C13: from Old French conjurer to plot, from Latin conjūrāre to swear together, form a conspiracy, from jūrāre to swear

Example Sentences

But she said that some things don't change - with retailers keen to conjure up a sense of cosiness and familiarity.

From BBC

But as director Peter Brook reminds us in “The Empty Space,” “If you just let a play speak, it may not make a sound. If what you want is for the play to be heard, then you must conjure the sound from it.”

From Los Angeles Times

Jamie Lloyd, Sam Gold and Kenny Leon, three directors who don’t have all that much in common, conjure unexpected sounds from revivals that upend audience expectations.

From Los Angeles Times

There’s an ancient Mesopotamian belief that physical objects can invite an external presence from a soul into it, and I’m very into pieces that I believe conjure that.

From Los Angeles Times

But give credit where it’s due — new tech allowed producers to conjure a final Beatles song out of previously unsalvageable mixes.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• exorcise
• invoke
• summon