| magic | A comprehensive name for all of the pretended arts which claim to produce effects by the assistance of supernatural beings, or departed spirits, or by a mastery of secret forces in nature attained by a study of occult science, including enchantment, conjuration, witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, incantation, etc. "An appearance made by some magic." (Chaucer) Celestial magic, a supposed supernatural power which gave to spirits a kind of dominion over the planets, and to the planets an influence over men. Natural magic, the art of employing the powers of nature to produce effects apparently supernatural. Superstitious, or Geotic, magic, the invocation of devils or demons, involving the supposition of some tacit or express agreement between them and human beings. Synonym: Sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy, conjuration, enchantment. Origin: OE. Magique, L. Magice, Gr. (sc), fr. See Magic, and Magi. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| instant | 1. A point in duration; a moment; a portion of time too short to be estimated; also, any particular moment. "There is scarce an instant between their flourishing and their not being." (Hooker) 2. A day of the present or current month; as, the sixth instant; an elliptical expression equivalent to the sixth of the month instant, i. E, the current month. See Instant. Synonym: Moment, flash, second. Origin: F. Instant, fr. L. Instans standing by, being near, present. See Instant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |