spell

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈspɛl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/spɛl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(spel)

Inflections of 'spell' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
The past form "spelt" is mainly used in UK English. It is correct in US English, but rare. The past form "spelled" is correct in both US and UK English.
spells
v 3rd person singular
spelling
v pres p
spelled
v past (US & UK)
spelt
v past (Mainly UK)
spelled
v past p (US & UK)
spelt
v past p (Mainly UK)

Collocations for "spell"


Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "spell" in context.

WordReference English Collocations © 2025

spell

Most examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.
n
  1. a [cold, cool, warm, hot, sunny] spell
  2. a [good, bad, promising, short, better] spell
  3. a [good] spell of [weather, fortune, play]
  4. a spell of [good] [weather]
  5. a [coughing, sneezing] spell
  6. [an evil, a nasty, a malicious, a magic] spell
  7. UK: a [three-hour, two-week] spell
  8. UK: [are here, lived there] (just) for a spell
  9. [suffered, had, experienced] a [dizzy, faint] spell
  10. the [team, company, family] is going through a bad spell
  11. am [having, in the middle of] a dry spell
  12. the [witch, wizard] [cast, uttered, performed] a spell
  13. she put a spell on me!
  14. put him under a spell
  15. has her under his spell
  16. the [town, population, people] were living under a spell
  17. was under the spell of the [music, waves, flames]
  18. a spell of [coughing, back pain]
  19. UK: let me take a spell at [driving, the wheel]
  20. [hold, take part in] a sponsored spell
n as adj
  1. a spell [check, checker, corrector]
  2. a spell [chaser, catcher, hunter]
v
  1. know how to spell (the word)
  2. how do you spell (the word)...?
  3. could you spell that for me?
  4. how are you spelling that?
  5. spell it with [two "e"s]
  6. spells her name [the same, a different, the traditional] way
  7. (almost) spelled it correctly
  8. can't spell (very well)
  9. spell out the word
  10. spell the word out
  11. spell out your [name, email]
  12. spell [it, the plan, the joke] out to him
  13. do I (really) have to spell it out to you?
  14. [could, might] (just) spell the end of the [world, business, group, friendship]
  15. will only spell [trouble, disaster]
  16. could spell [trouble, danger] (for)
'spell' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

Forum discussions with the word(s) "spell" in the title:

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