Forms: 4–5 conjurere, 5 -jeroure, 6 -juroure, (6 cowngerar, cunngerer), 4– conjurer, 6– conjuror. [L. conjūrātor, -ōrem, regularly became in OF. conjure·re, conjureo·r (later -eur, Anglo-Fr. -our). The earliest forms of the word in Eng. are conjurer in Wyclif, conjurour in Gesta Rom. The latter represents AF. conjurour, and has come down as conjuror: the former may possibly represent the OF. nom. conjurere, but is more prob. a native formation in -ER1; it has come down as conjurer.]
I. Pronounced [pron.].
1. One who practises conjuration; one who conjures spirits and pretends to perform miracles by their aid; a magician, wizard.
1382. Wyclif, Acts xix. 13. Summe of the Iewis exorcistis, or coniureris. Ibid. (1388), Isa. viii. 19. Axe ȝe of coniureris [1382 deuel cleperes].
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lxix. 375 (Add. MS.). The clerke wente to a conieroure of deuyls.
1570. Dee, Math. Pref., 45. As a … Caller, and Conjurer of wicked … Spirites.
1589. in Stationer’s Reg. Ric. Iones. Allowed vnto him for his Copie, A ballad of the life and deathe of Doctor Faustus the great Cunngerer, vjd.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 242.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, II. 30. They seldome steale one from another, least their coniurers should reveale it.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath. (1839), 611. The Egyptian conjurers, that are said to have turned their rods to serpents.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. i. (1840), 5. Conjurers and dealers with the Devil.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, I. 278. Which set the skill and experience of their conjurers and medicine men at defiance.
2. One who practises legerdemain; a juggler.
1727. Pope, etc., Art of Sinking, 78. When an audience behold a coach turned into a wheelbarrow, a conjurer into an old woman, [etc.].
1755. Gentl. Mag., XXV. 65. Bottle-conjurors, and persons who will jump down their own throats.
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes (1850), 60/1. Dancing-dogs, Jugglers, Conjurors … or even Barrel-Organs.
1876. J. Parker, Paracl., I. i. 3. The skilled conjuror will make a fool of any man who insists that seeing is believing.
b. fig. One who performs tricks with words.
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Swedenborg, Wks. (Bohn), I. 328. Literary men are conjurors and charlatans.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 190. In the sight of Lutheran or Wolfian conjurors with words, this was egregious shallowness.
3. transf. Said ironically of a person of superior cleverness. No conjurer: one who is far from clever.
1667. Dryden, Sir M. Mar-all, III. 40. Sir M. But how could I know this? I am no Witch. W. No, I’le be sworn for you, you are no conjurer.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 177. Atheists are no such Conjurers, as they would be thought to be.
1695. Congreve, Love for L., II. ix. By the account I have heard of his education [he] can be no conjurer.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 17, ¶ 2. Ibid. Some would be apt to say, he is a Conjurer; for he has found, That a Republick … is composed of Men only, and not of Horses.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 16. A man, without being a conjuror, might guess.
4. Applied to an apparatus or machine that performs surprising feats.
1812. Chron., in Ann. Reg., 262. He … cooked his victuals in a conjuror in the stable-yard.
II. Pronounced [pron.].
5. One who is bound with others by a common oath.
1836. in Smart; and in mod. Dicts.
6. One who solemnly charges or entreats.
1836. in Smart; and in mod. Dicts.
Hence Conjurership, the dignity or personality of a conjurer.
a. 1679. Earl Orrery, Guzman, III. By your Conjurership’s leave.
1741–70. Eliz. Carter, Lett. (1808), 3. If your conjurorship’s worship is not engaged tomorrow.
