[f. CHARM v. + -ER1; or a. OF. charmere (nom. of charmeur), f. charmer.]
1. One who uses spells and enchantments, or who has magic powers; an enchanter.
c. 1340. Ayenb., 69. Ase doþ þise charmeres and þise wychen.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter lvii[i]. 5. He lufes not charmers and venym makers.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Kings xxviii. 3. Saul … slewȝ hem that hadden chaarmers of devels in the wombe.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. lvii[i]. 5. That she shulde not heare the voyce of the charmer, charme he neuer so wysely.
1604. Shaks., Oth., III. iv. 57. She was a Charmer, and could almost read The thoughts of people.
c. 1638. Sc. Pasquils (1868), 56. From … montebanks and charmers … deliver us.
1862. Lytton, Str. Story, I. 148. Filling his barbaric court (for he lived in a kind of savage royalty) with charmers and sorcerers.
2. One who overcomes, subdues, allays, etc., as if by magic power.
1870. Spurgeon, Treas. David, Ps. xxxii. 10. Faith in God is the great charmer of life’s cares.
3. One who possesses great attractiveness or powers of fascination; usually applied to a woman.
1676. D’Urfey, Mad. Fickle, II. ii. Speak sweet Charmer, Will you be always true?
1725. Pope, Odyss., XII. 232. Thus the sweet charmers warbled o’er the main.
1728. Gay, Begg. Op., II. xxxv. How happy could I be with either Were t’other dear charmer away.
1765. Goldsm., Hermit, xxxviii. Turn, Angelina, ever dear, My charmer, turn to see Thy own, thy long-lost Edwin here.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, II. xi. (1876), 223. Mrs. Mountford … (a veteran charmer of fifty).
1865. M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., viii. (1875), 346–7. Such a charmer of the literary sense as Voltaire.
† 4. Applied to a kind of dance. Obs.
1703. Farquhar, Inconstant, I. ii. (D.). I don’t believe there was a man of ’em but could dance a charmer.
