conjure

CONJURE, v.t. [L., to swear together, to conspire.]

1. To call on or summon by a sacred name, or in a solemn manner; to implore with solemnity. It seems originally to have signified, to bind by an oath.

I conjure you! Let him know, whateer was done against him, Cato did it.

2. To bind two or more by an oath; to unite in a common design. Hence intransitively, to conspire. [Not usual.]

CONJURE, v.t. To expel, to drive or to affect, in some manner, by magic arts, as by invoking the Supreme Being, or by the use of certain words, characters or ceremonies to engage supernatural influence; as, to conjure up evil spirits, or to conjure down a tempest; to conjure the stars.

Note. It is not easy to define this word, nor any word of like import; as the practices of conjurors are little known, or various and indefinite. The use of this word indicates that an oath or solemn invocation originally formed a part of the ceremonies.

CONJURE, v.i.

1. To practice the arts of a conjurer; to use arts to engage the aid of spirits in performing some extraordinary act.

2. In a vulgar sense, to behave very strangely; to act like a witch; to play tricks.