1. The power or quality of pleasing or delighting; attractiveness: a breezy tropical setting of great charm.
2. A particular quality that attracts; a delightful characteristic: A mischievous grin was among the childs many charms.
3. A small ornament, such as one worn on a bracelet.
4. An item worn for its supposed magical benefit, as in warding off evil; an amulet.
5. An action or formula thought to have magical power.
6. The chanting of a magic word or verse; incantation.
7. Physics A quantum property of the charm quark whose conservation explains the absence of certain strange-particle decay modes and that accounts for the longevity of the J particle.
v.charmed, charm·ing, charms
v.tr.
1. To attract or delight greatly: the simple elegance of the meal charmed the guests.
2. To induce by using strong personal attractiveness: charmed the guard into admitting them without invitations.
3. To cast or seem to cast a spell on; bewitch.
v.intr.
1. To be alluring or pleasing.
2. To function as an amulet or charm.
3. To use magic spells.
[Middle English charme, magic spell, from Old French, from Latin carmen, incantation; see kan- in Indo-European roots.]
charming·ly adv.
charmless adj.
Synonyms: charm, beguile, bewitch, captivate, enchant, entrance2, fascinate These verbs mean to attract strongly or irresistibly: manners that charmed the old curmudgeon; delicacies that beguile even the most discerning gourmet; a performance that bewitched the audience; a novel that captivates its readers; a child who enchanted his grandparents; music that entrances its listeners; a celebrity who fascinated his interviewer.
t
rm
/ adj. pleasing, attractive, delightful: We vacationed in a charming little village.||a charming man
ing·ly adv.