different between indicate vs abracadabra

English

Etymology

From Latin indicatus, past participle of indic?re (“to point out, indicate”), from in (“in, to”) + dic?re (“to declare, originally to point”); see diction. Compare index.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??nd?ke?t/

Verb

indicate (third-person singular simple present indicates, present participle indicating, simple past and past participle indicated)

1. To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known.
2. To show or manifest by symptoms; to point to as the proper remedies.

3. To signal in a vehicle the desire to turn right or left.
4. To investigate the condition or power of, as of steam engine, by means of an indicator.
   • 1903, "How to indicate an engine" in The Star Improved Steam Engine Indicator, p.64:

     To a person who is familiar with the use of an indicator, whether it be of one make or another, it is needless to give instructions as to how an engine should be indicated, […].

   • 1905, Power, Vol.25, p.448:

     I found it fully as easy to indicate an engine at a speed of 320 to 340 revolutions as at 80.

   • 1905, Central Station, Vol.5, p.76:

     An indicator will give the working of these valves at all times and soon return its cost in higher engine efficiency. The day has passed when it was only the expert who could indicate an engine or afford to own an indicator.

Synonyms

• betoken

Related terms

• index
• indication
• indicative
• indicator

Translations

Further reading

• indicate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• indicate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Dianetic, actinide, ctenidia, diactine, dianetic

Italian

Adjective

indicate f pl

1. feminine plural of indicato

Verb

indicate

1. second-person plural present of indicare
2. second-person plural imperative of indicare
3. feminine plural past participle of indicare

Anagrams

• identica

Latin

Participle

indic?te

1. vocative masculine singular of indic?tus

Verb

indic?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of indic?

English

Etymology

From Late Latin abracadabra, a word used in magical writings, of uncertain origin. Relationships have been suggested with Abraxas (a Gnostic deity), and with various Aramaic or Hebrew terms ???? ?????? (avra kedavra, literally “what was said has come to pass”), ??????? ?????????? (avda kedavara, literally “what was said has been done”); ????-???-????? (arba-e?ad-arba, literally “four-one-four”), but there is little supporting evidence.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ab??k??dab??/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?æ.b??.k??dæ.b??/

Noun

abracadabra (plural abracadabras)

1. A use of the mystical term ‘abracadabra’, supposed to work as part of a healing charm or a magical spell; any spell or incantation making use of the word. [from 16th c.]
2. Mumbo-jumbo; obscure language or technicalities; jargon. [from 19th c.]

Translations

Interjection

abracadabra

1. Used to indicate that a magic trick or other illusion has been performed. [from 19th c.]

   Synonym: hey presto

Translations

Further reading

• abracadabra at OneLook Dictionary Search

References

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.b?a.ka.da.b?a/

Interjection

abracadabra

1. abracadabra

Derived terms

• abracadabrant

Noun

abracadabra m (plural abracadabras)

1. An unspecified magical formula.
2. (historical) A mystical word from kabbalism.

Further reading

• “abracadabra” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Portuguese

Interjection

abracadabra

1. abracadabra (used to indicate that a magic trick or other illusion has been performed)

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ab?aka?dab?a/, [a.???a.ka?ð?a.???a]

Interjection

abracadabra

1. abracadabra

Usage notes

The Royal Spanish Academy notes that this is masculine, cf. other words of Greek origin that end in -a, such as diploma or idioma. They furthermore consider it a noun.

Further reading

• “abracadabra” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.