Incantation

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Incantation \In`can*ta"tion\, n. [L. incantatio, fr. incantare
     to chant a magic formula over one: cf. F. incantation. See
     {Enchant}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. The act or process of using formulas sung or spoken, with
        occult ceremonies, for the purpose of raising spirits,


        producing enchantment, or affecting other magical results;
        enchantment. "Mysterious ceremony and incantation."
        --Burke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A formula of words used as above.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The repetitive invoking of old sayings, or emitting a
        wordy discourse with little or no meaning, to avoid
        serious discussion; obfuscation; as, to defend one's views
        with empty incantations.
        [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  incantation
       n : a ritual recitation of words or sounds believed to have a
           magical effect [syn: {conjuration}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  22 Moby Thesaurus words for "incantation":
     abracadabra, bewitchment, conjuration, conjurement, devil,
     enchantment, evocation, exorcisation, exorcism, exsufflation,
     hocus-pocus, invocation, magic formula, magic words, mumbo jumbo,
     necromancy, open sesame, rune, sorcery, witchcraft, witchery,
     wizardry
  
  

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  incantation n. Any particularly arbitrary or obscure command that one
     must mutter at a system to attain a desired result. Not used of
     passwords or other explicit security features. Especially used of tricks
     that are so poorly documented that they must be learned from a {wizard}.
     "This compiler normally locates initialized data in the data segment,
     but if you {mutter} the right incantation they will be forced into text
     space."
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  incantation
       
          Any particularly arbitrary or obscure command that one must
          mutter at a system to attain a desired result.  Not used of
          passwords or other explicit security features.  Especially
          used of tricks that are so poorly documented that they must be
          learned from a {wizard}.  "This compiler normally locates
          initialised data in the data segment, but if you {mutter} the
          right incantation they will be forced into text space."