Bewitch
/bɪˈwɪtʃ/noun
To put under a spell or enchant someone or something.
Did you know?The prefix be- once helped turn plain verbs into something stronger or more complete, so bewitch became the verbal idea of surrounding someone with witchcraft rather than merely “liking” them.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
be- + wiccian
“to practice witchcraft upon; to enchant”
Old English
OE
wicce / wicca
“witch; sorcerer”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wikkōn / *wikkjan
“to practice magic, bewitch”
Modern English
English
bewitch
“to enchant or cast a spell over”
14th Century
English
bewicchen / bewicce
“to enchant; to exercise witchcraft upon”