fascination

[Lat. fascinatio, from fas cinatus, pa. par. of fasci no; Fr. fascination; Port. fascinazão; Sp. fascinacion; Ital. fas in azione.] 1. The act or power of fascinating, or of exercising supernatural and irresistible influence upon a person or animal; a bewitching, charming, or enchantment. Such power or influence was formerly ascribed to magicians, and to certain animals, as the basilisk, and the belief in the power or influence of the "evil eye" is a remnant of this superstition. Several naturalists of late years have been inclined to revive this belief and have endeavored to show that it really has some foundation in nature. One writer claims to have "had ocular proof that some influence akin to fascination can be exercised by a predatory animal over a victim which it desires to get within its power. I saw in Central India a large fly, one evening after the lamps were lit, unable to take its eyes off a scorpion. At last it was fatuous enough to fly acro from one wall to the next three different times to attack the scorpion, which finally caught and devoured it." "We see the opinion of fascination is ancient for both effects: of procuring love; and sickne caused by envie; and fascination is ever by the eye." - Bacon: Natural History, § 944. 2. The act or power of fascinating, charming or captivating by beauty, grace or other excellent quality. "The fascination of sex was called in to aid the fascina tion of art." -Macaulay: Hist . Eng., ch. iii. 3. The state or condition of being fascinated, enchanted, or charmed. "The ancients believed that spitting in their bosoms three times (which was a sacred number), would prevent fascination." -Fawkes : Theocritus, Id. vi. (Note.) 4. That which fascinates, enchants, charms or captivates. For the difference between to fascinate and to charm , see CHARM. făs-çi'ne, s . [Fr., from Lat. fascis =a bundle.] 1. Fort .: A cylindrical bundle of faggots or brushwood used in revetments of earthworks. They vary in size, say from six to eighteen feet in length, six to nine inches in diameter, and are bound with withes every eighteen inches. When the limbs are Parapet Reveted with Fascines. IMG:content-1445.png:[graphic] IMG:content-1446.png:[graphic] IMG:content-1447.jpg:[blocks in formation] bundle.] I. Ordinary Language: 1. A little bundle or package. 2. A part or division of a book. II. Technically: fasci at (e); -ion.] I. Ordinary Language: 1. The act of binding or rolling up. 2. A band, a fillet, a bandage. II. Technically : 1. Bot .: The flattened, ribbon-like form substituted for the cylindrical or prismatic form of normal stems. 2. Surg .: The act or method of binding or rolling up diseased or injured parts; a bandage. făs-çi-cle, s. [Lat. fasciculus, a dim in. of fascis =a bundle; Fr. fascicule; Sp. fasciculo; Ital. fas cicolo.] teretes, smooth and cylindrical, or round fascicles, also in the Medulla oblong at a ; and the Fasciculus uncinatus , hooked-shaped fascicle, in the Cerebrum . ( Quain .) 2. Bot .: The same as FASCICLE (q. v.). făs'-çin-āte, v.t. & i. [Lat. fasci nat us , pa. par. of fasci no =to enchant, to charm; Ital. fascinatre ; Sp. fascinar ; Fr. fasciner ; Gr. baskainō ] A. Transitive : 1. To bewitch, to enchant; to exercise some supernatural and irresistible influence upon. order to set fire to the enemy's lodgments or other works. "To provide themselves each squadron with twenty fascines."-Tindal: Hist . Eng ., Anne (an. 3). 2. Civ. Eng .: In Civil Engineering fascines are used in making sea and river walls to protect shores subject to washing; or to collect sand, silt, and mud to raise the bottom and gradually form an island, either as a breakwater against inroads, or for purposes of cultivation, as in Holland. *fas'-çin-ous, a . [Lat. fasci no = to fascinate, fascinum = witchcraft, enchantment.] Caused by or proceeding from witchcraft or enchantment.