ABRACADAB'RA , The name of a deity worshipped by the Syrians: a cabalistic word. The letters of his name, written on paper, in the form of an inverted cone, were recommended by Samonicus as an antidote against certain diseases.
Word of the Day: Catachrestical
A mystical word or collocation of letters written as in the figure. Worn on an amulet it was supposed to ward off fever. At present the word is used chiefly in jest to denote something without meaning; jargon.
Abracadabra
Encyclopedia Britannica
ABRACADABRA, a meaningless word once supposed to have a magical efficacy as an antidote against agues and other fevers. Ridiculously minute directions for the proper use of the charm are given in the Proecepta de Medicina of Serenus Sammonicus. The paper on which the word was written had to be folded in the form of a cross, suspended from the neck by a strip of linen so as to rest on the pit of the stomach, worn in this way for nine days, and then, before sunrise, cast behind the wearer into a stream running to the east. The letters of this word were usually arranged to form a triangle in one or other of the following ways :— [table] [table]
9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 52
[120 words — estimated reading time: 1 minute]
[120 words — estimated reading time: 1 minute]
Spell Roget’s Thesaurus §993
N. spell, charm, incantation, exorcism, weird, cabala, exsufflation|, cantrap, runes, abracadabra, open sesame, countercharm, ephesian letters, bell book and candle, mumbo jumbo, evil eye, fee-faw-fum, talisman, amulet, periapt, telesm, phylactery, philter, fetich, fetish, agnus dei, furcula, madstone, mascot, mascotte, merrythought, om, aum, scarab, scarabaeus, sudarium, triskelion, veronica, wishbone, swastika, fylfot, gammadion, wand, caduceus, rod, divining rod, lamp of aladdin, wishing-cap, fortunatus's cap
No Bible verses found for "abracadabra".