v. Also 3 biwucch, 4 biwich, bywicch, bewycche, 5–6 by-, bewytch. [ME. biwicchen, f. bi-, BE- 2 + wicchen:—OE. wiccian to enchant, to WITCH, f. wicca masc., wicce fem., WITCH. *Bewiccian may have been in OE.]
1. trans. To affect (generally injuriously) by witchcraft or magic. Sometimes with complemental phrase defining the result.
c. 1205. Lay., 24275. Summe bokes suggeð … þat þa burh wes biwucched.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 71. Thaȝ that on bi-wiched be.
c. 1400. Maundev., xiv. 159. Ȝif ony cursed Wycche … wolde bewycche him.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 149 b. Least he bewitche into stones all the whole ancient race of the Old Testament.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. iv. 70. Looke how I am bewitch’d.
1702. Pope, Wife of B., 301. He had bewitch’d me to him.
1864. Kingsley, Rom. & Teut., i. 2. The Trolls have bewitched him.
2. fig. To influence in a way similar to witchcraft; to fascinate, charm, enchant. Formerly often in a bad sense; but now generally said of pleasing influences.
1526. Tindale, Gal. iii. 1. O folisshe Galathyans: who hath bewitched [Wyclif disceyuede] you?
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. ii. 18. I am bewitcht with the rogues company.
1712. Parnell, Spect., No. 460, ¶ 6. The breeze that played about us bewitched the Senses.
1815. Scribbleomania, 165 (g). Our author … can never fail of bewitching the reader.
1876. Green, Short Hist., vii. § 4. 376. There was in Mary ‘some enchantment whereby men are bewitched.’
