talisman
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Etymology: From French talisman, partly from Arabic طِلَّسْم (ṭillasm, “payment”), from Ancient Greek τέλεσμα (télesma, “payment”); and partly directly from Byzantine Greek τέλεσμα (télesma, “talisman, religious rite, completion”), from τελέω (teléō, “to perform religious rites, to complete”), from τέλος (télos, “end, fulfillment, accomplishment, consummation, completion”). Doublet of telesm.
Inflected forms:
form: talismans
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: talismen
pos: noun
tags: nonstandard
plural
form: talismans
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: talismaning
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: talismanning
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: talismaned
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: talismaned
pos: verb
tags: past
form: talismanned
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: talismanned
pos: verb
tags: past
Senses:
gloss: A magical object providing protection against ill will, or the supernatural, or conferring the wearer with a boon such as good luck, good health, or certain powers.
pos: noun
examples: That woman’s love is a talisman by which he holds and hopes to get his safety.
I have in my possession three Magic Talismans, which I have ever guarded with utmost care, keeping the knowledge of their existence from anyone else.
Dagobert gave him back his passport. He re-pocketed it indifferently; a talisman which had lost its potency.
She kept low, clutching the rifle she'd taken as though it were a magic talisman, as if it would somehow protect her even though she didn't fire it.
Mata would soon whip in the cross that allowed Drogba to equalise – and Chelsea went on to win the Champions League, beating the German club on penalties, with their talisman from the Ivory Coast making history with the final spot-kick.
gloss: To adorn with a talisman.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: The second in his saddle reeled, / Down thundered man and horse;— / Oft I essayed with blow and thrust, / As oft a foeman rolled in dust; / But, ah, what could a single arm, / Though talismaned by beauty’s charm, / Against a host?—for love—for life— / I waged awhile the desperate strife; / ’T was vain—I fell—was left for dead— / And rescued was th’ unwilling maid!
Lo, under their coats, amulets of idols! Possibly such charms talismaned every breast in his army.
They had a pitched battle in the spirit; the girl at length said, “You have something strong which I cannot endure,” and Madame Guyon confesses that she was talismaned by a piece of the true cross around her neck.
After some opening sentences, affirming that Joy, Grace and Love are the marks of the elect of God, we are informed that a letter was mysteriously sent down from heaven to earth, as if it had been shot from a bow. People rushed to read it; but it was talismaned by a seal, which none dared to break.
Fond youth, vain were thy sulphurous bolts against / This subtle necromancer, armed and talismaned / By the Grail’s prophylactic power.
It is yours still, and I go talismanned / By you to find you, though I’m lost & late.
And for that moment I believe her, am transformed, / Talismanned by carved jade beads, / For that moment I know she has / The word from God direct.
Translations: