Dictionary

enthrall en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈθɾɔːl/ (Wales)
• /ɪnˈθɹɔl/ without the cot–caught merger
• /ɪnˈθɹoːl/ (Australia, British, New-Zealand, Southern, Standard)
• /ɪnˈθɹɑl/ (cot-caught-merger)
• /ɪnˈθɾɔl/ (Scotland)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɪnˈθɹɔːl/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English enthrallen. By surface analysis, en- + thrall.

Meanings

1. (figuratively, transitive) To hold spellbound.
   • In the center of the circle of glittering black bodies he leaped and roared and shook his heavy spear in the same mad abandon that enthralled his fellow savages. The last remnant of his civilization was forgotten—he was a primitive man to the fullest now; reveling in the freedom of the fierce, wild life he loved, gloating in his kingship among these wild blacks. 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter 17, in The Return of Tarzan:
   • Fancy, Jim, to be in love and play Juliet! To have him sitting there! To play for his delight! I am afraid I may frighten the company, frighten or enthrall them. 1891, Oscar Wilde, chapter 5, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC:
2. (archaic, figuratively, transitive) To make subservient.
   • […] Who oft as undeservedly enthrall / His outward freedom: Tyranny must be; 1667, John Milton, “Book XII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
3. (literally, literary, qualifier:otherwise archaic, transitive) To enslave; to subjugate.

Forms

Antonyms

disenthrall

Deriveds

enthralling · disenthrall · enthralldom · enthralled · enthrallment

Synonyms

charm · enchain · enchant · bewitch · captivate · transfix

Translations (69)

sv fascinera (hold spellbound) · pt deslumbrar (hold spellbound) · ca captivar (hold spellbound) · cs okouzlit (hold spellbound) · da fængsle (hold spellbound) · it schiavizzare (make subservient) · nl betoveren (hold spellbound) · pl zniewolić (make subservient) · de bezirzen (hold spellbound) · es fascinar (hold spellbound) · ro subjuga (make subservient) · da undertrykke (make subservient) · da fortrylle (hold spellbound) · el γοητεύω (hold spellbound) · de fesseln (hold spellbound) · hu rabjává tesz (make subservient) · fr asservir (make subservient) · it asservire (make subservient) · ro vrăji (hold spellbound) · pt encantar (hold spellbound) · sv förtjusa (hold spellbound) · sv trollbinda (hold spellbound) · eo subigi (make subservient) · sv tjusa (hold spellbound) · nl onderwerpen (make subservient) · sv förhäxa (hold spellbound) · da underkue (make subservient) · da forhekse (hold spellbound) · es hechizar (hold spellbound) · cs upoutat (hold spellbound) · es embrujar (hold spellbound) · ro aservi (make subservient) · bg очаровам (hold spellbound) · got 𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌸𐌹𐍅𐌰𐌽 (make subservient) · non þrælka (make subservient) · bg поробвам (make subservient) · fi orjuuttaa (make subservient) · eo sorĉi (hold spellbound) · eo sklavigi (make subservient) · de unterwerfen (make subservient) · pt cativar (hold spellbound) · sv förtrolla (hold spellbound) · uk зачаро́вувати (hold spellbound) · ro înrobi (make subservient) · ro captiva (hold spellbound) · fi lumota (hold spellbound) · es embelesar (hold spellbound) · hu elbűvöl (hold spellbound) · cs fascinovat (hold spellbound) · ru порабоща́ть (make subservient) · uk понево́лювати (make subservient) · de verhexen (hold spellbound) · ca embruixar (hold spellbound) · ru зачаро́вывать (hold spellbound) · bg омайвам (hold spellbound) · sv fängsla (hold spellbound) · da kue (make subservient) · da tryllebinde (hold spellbound) · ca subjugar (make subservient) · es embebecer (hold spellbound) · cs uchvátit (hold spellbound) · eo ravi (hold spellbound) · ro fermeca (hold spellbound) · io sklavigar (make subservient) · pt fascinar (hold spellbound) · fr captiver (hold spellbound) · uk підко́рювати (make subservient) · pl oczarować (hold spellbound) · pl zafascynować (hold spellbound)