Beguile


to influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude.
to take away from by cheating or deceiving (usually followed by of):
to be beguiled of money.
to charm or divert:
a multitude of attractions to beguile the tourist.
to pass (time) pleasantly:
beguiling the long afternoon with a good book.
Contemporary Examples

Watermelon, Feta and Black Olive Saladby Nigella Lawson The star chef combines improbable ingredients that beguile the palate.
What to Eat Cookstr.com July 20, 2009

She played a young woman hired to beguile a man, a natural fit for the natural beauty.
Farrah Fawcett: A Video Tribute The Daily Beast Video June 24, 2009

Will she beguile him into poor judgment, sidetracking his revenge crusade?
NBC’s ‘Dracula’ Sure Is Sexy, But It Isn’t Scary Kevin Fallon October 24, 2013

Historical Examples

How any fox outside of the fable could beguile a crow is a puzzle to me.
Everyday Adventures Samuel Scoville

Let Old Eaton have his way, if thereby they might beguile him into paving theirs.
Tiverton Tales Alice Brown

The way is long and we shall have much ado to beguile the tediousness of it.
Peggy Owen at Yorktown Lucy Foster Madison

In this way we shall have a model of the whole; and with these and similar discourses we will beguile the way.
Laws Plato

The waiting unnerves me, and I beguile the time by examining all the little details of the building.
Madame Chrysantheme Complete Pierre Loti

All this has served to beguile my heart, and keep it in some degree occupied.
Journal of a Residence at Bagdad Anthony Groves

If Mariana is there she certainly has no pile of old magazines to beguile her leisure.
Italian Hours Henry James

verb (transitive) -guiles, -guiling, -guiled
to charm; fascinate
to delude; influence by slyness
often foll by of or out of. to deprive (someone) of something by trickery; cheat (someone) of
to pass pleasantly; while away
v.

early 13c., from be- + guile (v.). Related: Beguiled; beguiling.

Read Also:

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    (in India) a high-ranking Muslim woman, especially a widow. to smear, soil, clog, etc., with or as if with gum or a gummy substance. Historical Examples “I saw him and begum going out together just now,” said the Major. The Mission; or Scenes in Africa Captain Frederick Marryat Vide Sheridan’s oration against Hastings upon the […]

  • Begummed

    to smear, soil, clog, etc., with or as if with gum or a gummy substance. noun (in Pakistan and certain other Muslim countries) a woman of high rank, esp the widow of a prince

  • Begun

    past participle of begin. to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start: The story begins with their marriage. to come into existence; arise; originate: The custom began during the Civil War. to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of (some action): Begin the job tomorrow. to originate; […]

  • Be had

    be had verb phrase To become a partner in the sex act (1594+) To be duped or cheated; be victimized: You practically need a finance degree to know that you are being had (1805+) Be outwitted; also, be cheated, deceived. For example, This lawyer is a real shyster; you’ve been had, or I’ve become very […]

  • Be hard on

    not soft; solid and firm to the touch; unyielding to pressure and impenetrable or almost impenetrable. firmly formed; tight: a hard knot. difficult to do or accomplish; fatiguing; troublesome: a hard task. difficult or troublesome with respect to an action, situation, person, etc.: hard to please; a hard time. difficult to deal with, manage, control, […]


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