Dictation vs. Spell

Dictation vs. Spell — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Dictation and Spell

Dictationnoun

(uncountable) Dictating, the process of speaking for someone else to write down the words.

Since I learned shorthand, I can take dictation at eighty words a minute.

Spellnoun

Words or a formula supposed to have magical powers.

He cast a spell to cure warts.

Dictationnoun

(countable) An activity in school where the teacher reads a passage aloud and the students write it down.

Spellnoun

A magical effect or influence induced by an incantation or formula.

under a spell

Dictationnoun

(countable) The act of ordering or commanding.

Spellnoun

(obsolete) Speech, discourse.

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Dictationnoun

(uncountable) Orders given in an overbearing manner.

His habit, even with friends, was that of dictation.

Spellnoun

A shift (of work); (rare) a set of workers responsible for a specific turn of labour.

Dictationnoun

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

Spellnoun

(informal) A definite period (of work or other activity).

Dictationnoun

speech intended for reproduction in writing

Spellnoun

(colloquial) An indefinite period of time (usually with a qualifier); by extension, a relatively short distance.

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Dictationnoun

matter that has been dictated and transcribed; a dictated passage;

he mailed the dictation without bothering to read it

Spellnoun

A period of rest; time off.

Spellnoun

A period of illness, or sudden interval of bad spirits, disease etc.

Spellnoun

(cricket) An uninterrupted series of alternate overs bowled by a single bowler.

Spellnoun

(dialectal) A splinter, usually of wood; a spelk.

Spellnoun

The wooden bat in the game of trap ball, or knurr and spell.

Spellverb

To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.

Spellverb

(obsolete) To speak, to declaim.

Spellverb

(obsolete) To tell; to relate; to teach.

Spellverb

To read (something) as though letter by letter; to peruse slowly or with effort.

Spellverb

To write or say the letters that form a word or part of a word.

Spellverb

(intransitive) To be able to write or say the letters that form words.

I find it difficult to spell because I'm dyslexic.

Spellverb

(transitive) Of letters: to compose (a word).

The letters “a”, “n” and “d” spell “and”.

Spellverb

To indicate that (some event) will occur.

This spells trouble.

Spellverb

To clarify; to explain in detail.

Please spell it out for me.

Spellverb

To constitute; to measure.

Spellverb

(transitive) To work in place of (someone).

to spell the helmsman

Spellverb

(transitive) To rest (someone or something), to give someone or something a rest or break.

They spelled the horses and rested in the shade of some trees near a brook.

Spellverb

To rest from work for a time.

Spellnoun

a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation

Spellnoun

a time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else);

it's my goa spell of work

Spellnoun

a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition;

he was here for a little whileI need to rest for a piecea spell of good weathera patch of bad weather

Spellnoun

a verbal formula believed to have magical force;

he whispered a spell as he moved his handsinscribed around its base is a charm in Balinese

Spellverb

recite the letters of or give the spelling of;

How do you spell this word?

Spellverb

indicate or signify;

I'm afraid this spells trouble!

Spellverb

write or name the letters that comprise the conventionally accepted form of (a word or part of a word);

He spelled the word wrong in this letter

Spellverb

place under a spell