Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHARM, n. [Fr. charme; Norm. carme, or garme; Arm. chalm; L. carmen, a song, a verse, an outcry, a charm. It coincides with the W. garm, an outcry, garmiaw, to shout, Sax. cirm, or cyrm, outcry, noise. See Alarm.]

1. Words, characters or other things imagined to possess some occult or unintelligible power; hence, a magic power or spell, by which, with the supposed assistance of the devil, witches and sorcerers have been supposed to do wonderful things. Spell; enchantment. Hence,
2. That which has power to subdue opposition, and gain the affections; that which can please irresistibly; that which delights and attracts the heart; generally in the plural. The smiles of nature and the charms of art. – Addison. Good humor only teaches charms to last. – Pope.