witchwork

English

Etymology

From witch +‎ -work.

Noun

witchwork (uncountable)

1. Witchcraft.
   • 1827, Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann, translated by [Thomas Carlyle], “The Golden Pot”, in German Romance: Specimens of Its Chief Authors; […], volume II (Containing Tieck and Hoffmann), Edinburgh: William Tait, […]; London: Charles Tait, […], Tenth Vigil, pages 297–298:

     Anselmus thought he heard a deep moaning, heard Serpentina’s voice. Then horror and despair took hold of him: he gathered all his force, he dashed violently, as if nerve and artery were bursting, against the crystal; a piercing clang went through the room, and the Archivarius in his bright damask nightgown was standing in the door. / “Hey, hey! vermin!—Mad spell!—Witchwork!—Hither, holla!” So shouted he: then the black hair of the crone started up in tufts: […]

     [original: Es war dem Anſelmus, als höre er ein tiefes Stöhnen, als höre er Serpentina’s Stimme. Da ergriff ihn Entſetzen und Verzweiflung. – Er raffte alle ſeine Kraft zuſammen, er ſtieß mit Gewalt, als ſollten Nerven und Adern zerſpringen, gegen das Kriſtall – ein ſchneidender Klang fuhr durch das Zimmer und der Archivarius ſtand in der Thür in ſeinem glänzenden damaſtnen Schlafrock: «Hei, hei! Geſindel, toller Spuk – Hexenwerk – hieher – heiſa!» So ſchrie er. Da richteten ſich die ſchwarzen Haare der Alten wie Borſten empor, […]]

   • 1849, William Meinhold [i.e., Wilhelm Meinhold], translated by [Jane Wilde], “How Sidonia Is Sent Away to Stettin—Item, of the Young Lord’s Dangerous Illness, and What Happened in Consequence”, in Sidonia the Sorceress; the Supposed Destroyer of the Whole Reigning Ducal House of Pomerania. […], volume I, London: Simms and M‘Intyre, […], booK I (From the Reception of Sidonia at the Ducal Court of Wolgast until Her Banishment Therefrom), page 113:

     He shook his head; believed that they had hit on the true cause now. Such a sickness had nothing natural about it—there must be magic and witchwork in it; […]

     [original: Selbiger ſchüttelt mit ſeinem grauen Kopf, und daß er es genugſam gläuben wölle, inmaßen ſolche Liebe nicht mit rechten Dingen zugehen könne; […]]

   • 2000, Tom Robbins, Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, →ISBN, page 93:

     DDT as trade-good fish poison was finding its way into the jungle years before Boquichicos was settled, and congenital deformity was thought to have increased as a result, though there was no scientific proof of it. Smithe’s theory was that End of Time had come into the world slightly mutated, due to maternal consumption of contaminated fish. The Kandakandero had taken his affliction as a sign of divine favor and a portent of supernatural abilities, and immediately consecrated him to witchwork.

   • 2012, Laura Powell, chapter 2, in Burn Mark, New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers, →ISBN, page 6:

     Bernard Tynan had used witchwork to lure a young schoolgirl into his house, where he’d murdered her.