Definition of "charm"

charm¹

/tʃɑːm/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural charms
1. An object, act or words believed to have magic power (usually carries a positive connotation).
2. (often in the plural) The ability to persuade, delight or arouse admiration.
  Quotations
  […] the charm of Beauties powerful glance.
  1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
  Muſick has Charms to ſooth a ſavage Breaſt, To ſoften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.
  1697, [William] Congreve, The Mourning Bride, a Tragedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], Act I, page 1
  Charms ſtrike the ſight, but merit wins the ſoul.
  1714, Alexander Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, canto V, page 160
3. A small trinket on a bracelet or chain, etc., traditionally supposed to confer luck upon the wearer.
4. (particle physics) A quantum number of hadrons determined by the number of charm quarks and antiquarks.
  Quotations
  In trying to understand the long life of the psi particle, physicists postulated the notion of “charm.” Charm, they say, prevents the “easy” decay of particles and thus prolongs their lifetimes. U particles, Dr. Pert said, may carry the property of charm.
  1975 July 31, Sandra Blakeslee, “Another Particle Believed Discovered”, in The New York Times‎
  Mesons which combine the charmed quark with the up or down antiquarks are denoted the D mesons. These mesons carry explicit charm (i.e. have a non-zero charm quantum number), just as the K mesons carry strangeness.
  2020, James E. Dodd, Ben Gripaios, The Ideas of Particle Physics, Cambridge University Press, page 173
5. (finance) A second-order measure of derivative price sensitivity, expressed as the instantaneous rate of change of delta with respect to time.
6. (graphical user interface, Microsoft Windows) An icon providing quick access to a command or setting.
  Quotations
  Undoubtedly one of the most important pieces to navigating Windows 8, charms are actually not visible until a command to show them is given.
  2012, J. Peter Bruzzese, Using Windows 8
verb
third-person singular simple present charms, present participle charming, simple past and past participle charmed
1. To seduce, persuade or fascinate someone or something.
  Quotations
  […] they, on thir mirth & dance / Intent, with jocond Muſic charm his ear;
  1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
  The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs. Cooke; they were sure she had had no hand in the furnishing of that atrocious house.
  1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., page 58
2. (transitive) To use a magical charm upon; to subdue, control, or summon by incantation or supernatural influence.
  Quotations
  Nor no witch-craft charme thee.
  1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene ii], page 389, column 2
3. To protect with, or make invulnerable by, spells, charms, or supernatural influences.
  Quotations
  I, in mine owne woe charm’d, / Could not finde death, […]
  1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene iii], page 393, column 1
4. (obsolete, rare) To make music upon.
  Quotations
  But ah my corage cooles ere it be warme, / For thy, content vs in thys humble ſhade: / Where no ſuch troublous tydes han vs aſſayde, / Here we our ſlender pipes may ſafely charme.
  1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “October. Aegloga Decima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […]; reprinted as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, The Shepheardes Calender […], London: John C. Nimmo, […], 1890, folio 42, recto
5. To subdue or overcome by some secret power, or by that which gives pleasure; to allay; to soothe.
  Quotations
  Music the fierceſt griefs can charm, / And fate's ſevereſt rage diſarm: […]
  1687 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Ode for Musick on St. Cecilia’s Day”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], canto VII, page 378

charm²

/tʃɑːm/

noun
plural charms
1. The mixed sound of many voices, especially of birds or children.
  Quotations
  […] Free libertie to chaunt our charmes at will: […]
  1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “The Teares of the Muses”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […]
  Sweet is the breath of morn, her riſing ſweet, With charm of earlieſt Birds;
  1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
  The laughter rose like the charm of starlings.
  1955, William Golding, The Inheritors, Faber and Faber, published 2005, page 152
2. A flock, group (especially of finches).
  Quotations
  A charm of finches flew overhead, singing into the vivid afternoon sky.
  2018, Holly Ringland, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

Definition of "charm"

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