fascinate: Meaning and Definition of

fas•ci•nate

Pronunciation: (fas'u-nāt"), [key]
— v., -nat•ed, -nat•ing.
—v.t.
  1. to attract and hold attentively by a unique power, personal charm, unusual nature, or some other special quality; enthrall: a vivacity that fascinated the audience.
  2. to arouse the interest or curiosity of; allure.
  3. to transfix or deprive of the power of resistance, as through terror: The sight of the snake fascinated the rabbit.
  4. to bewitch.
  5. to cast under a spell by a look.
—v.i.
  1. to capture the interest or hold the attention.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: