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Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage;


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Spell \Spell\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling.] [AS. spelian to supply another's place.] To supply the place of for a time; to take the turn of, at work; to relieve; as, to spell the helmsman. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Spelling \Spell"ing\, n. The act of one who spells; formation of words by letters; orthography. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Spell \Spell\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spelledor Spelt; p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling.] [OE. spellen, spellien, tell, relate, AS. spellian, fr. spell a saying, tale; akin to MHG. spellen to relate, Goth. spill?n.e Spell a tale. In sense 4 and those following, OE. spellen, perhaps originally a different word, and from or influenced by spell a splinter, from the use of a piece of wood to point to the letters in schools: cf. D. spellen to spell. Cf. Spell splinter.] 1. To tell; to relate; to teach. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Might I that legend find, By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes. --T. Warton. [1913 Webster] 2. To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm. "Spelled with words of power." --Dryden. [1913 Webster] He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot. --Sir G. Buck. [1913 Webster] 3. To constitute; to measure. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] The Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did spell but one in effect. --Fuller. [1913 Webster] 4. To tell or name in their proper order letters of, as a word; to write or print in order the letters of, esp. the proper letters; to form, as words, by correct orthography. [1913 Webster] The word "satire" ought to be spelled with i, and not with y. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 5. To discover by characters or marks; to read with difficulty; -- usually with out; as, to spell out the sense of an author; to spell out a verse in the Bible. [1913 Webster] To spell out a God in the works of creation. --South. [1913 Webster] To sit spelling and observing divine justice upon every accident. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Spelling \Spell"ing\, a. Of or pertaining to spelling. [1913 Webster] Spelling bee, a spelling match. [U.S.] Spelling book, a book with exercises for teaching children to spell; a speller. Spelling match, a contest of skill in spelling words, between two or more persons. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

spelling n 1: forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

SPELLING, The art of putting the proper letters in words. 2. It is a rule that when it appears with certainty what is meant, bad spelling will not avoid a contract; for example, where a man agreed to pay thirty pounds, he was held bound to pay thirty pounds; and sentence was holden to be seventeen. Cro. Jac. 607; 10 Coke, 133, a; 2 Roll. Ab. 147. 3. Even in an indictment undertood has been holden as understood. 1 Chit. Cr. Law. 4. A misspelling of a name in a declaration, will not be sufficient to defeat the plaintiff, on the ground of variance between the writing produced, and the declaration, if such name be idem sonans; as Kay for Key. 16 East, 110; 2 Stark. 29; Segrave for Seagrave. 2 Str. 889. See Idem Sonans.