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   spell

   /spɛl/

   noun

   • 1. a short period: "I want to get away from racing for a spell" Similar periodtimeintervalseasonstretchruncourseroundspanstreaksnapinformal:patchspot
   • ▪ a period spent in an activity: "a spell of greenhouse work" Similar stintturnstretchsessiontermshifttour of dutywatch
   • ▪ a period of rest from work.
   • ▪ a series of overs during a session of play in which a particular bowler bowls: "he usually produces only one good spell in a Test"

   verb

   • 1. allow (someone) to rest briefly by taking their place in an activity: "I got sleepy and needed her to spell me for a while at the wheel"
   • ▪ take a brief rest: "I'll spell for a bit"

   Word Origin late 16th century: variant of dialect spele ‘take the place of’, of unknown origin. The early sense of the noun was ‘shift of relief workers’.

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • S

     1

   • P

     3

   • E

     1

   • L

     1

   • L

     1

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