conjure

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To perform magic tricks.

   He started conjuring at the age of 15, and is now a famous stage magician.

2. 2
   verb

   To practice black magic.

   "Thou great Norman lump!" he muttered. "If I conjure till Doomsday, I cannot make thee gold."

3. 3
   verb

   To imagine or picture in the mind.

   There was a deep silence, while Helen's vivid fancy conjured up the scene. She knew the small neat room—she had been with Mrs. Palmer to see it; the cheerful garden filled with flowers, the hum of the distant play-ground, the rosy clusters of an acacia-tree, whose branches almost came in at the window;...

4. 4
   verb

   To make an urgent request to; to appeal to or beseech.

   I conjure you, let him know, / Whate'er was done against him, Cato did it.

5. 5
   verb

   To conspire or plot.

   Drew after him the third part of Heaven's sons / Conjured against the Highest.

6. 6
   verb

   to engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together

7. 7
   verb

   to ask for or request earnestly

8. 8
   verb

   to summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic

Etymology

From Middle English conjuren, from Old French conjurer, from Latin coniūrō (“to swear together; conspire”), from con- (“with, together”) + iūro (“to swear or take an oath”).