imitative magic

imitative magic
magic that attempts to control the universe through the mimicking of a desired event, as by stabbing an image of an enemy in an effort to destroy him or her or by performing a ritual dance imitative of the growth of food in an effort to secure an abundant supply; a branch of sympathetic magic based on the belief that similar actions produce similar results. Also called homeopathic magic. Cf. contagious magic.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • imitative magic — noun : magic based on the assumption that a desired result (as rain, the death of an enemy) can be brought about or assured by mimicking it called also homeopathic magic; compare sympathetic magic * * * magic that attempts to control the universe …   Useful english dictionary

  • magic — /maj ik/, n. 1. the art of producing illusions as entertainment by the use of sleight of hand, deceptive devices, etc.; legerdemain; conjuring: to pull a rabbit out of a hat by magic. 2. the art of producing a desired effect or result through the …   Universalium

  • magic —    This can be defined as the use of symbolic actions, words, or objects to produce results in the real world, either mechanically through their intrinsic nature (e.g. displaying *horseshoes, *touching wood for luck), or by the personal willpower …   A Dictionary of English folklore

  • contagious magic — magic that attempts to affect a person through something once connected with him or her, as a shirt once worn by the person or a footprint left in the sand; a branch of sympathetic magic based on the belief that things once in contact are in some …   Universalium

  • sympathetic magic — magic predicated on the belief that one thing or event can affect another at a distance as a consequence of a sympathetic connection between them. Cf. contagious magic, imitative magic. [1900 05] * * * …   Universalium

  • magic —   Ho okalakupua, ho opi opi o (imitative). See sorcery …   English-Hawaiian dictionary

  • Sympathetic magic — Sympathetic magic, also known as imitative magic, is a type of magic based on imitation or correspondence. Imitation involves using effigies or poppets to affect the environment of people, or occasionally people themselves. Correspondence is… …   Wikipedia

  • contagious magic — noun : magic based on the assumption that things once associated are able to affect one another when separated so that anything done to an object (as a garment or a hair) will affect its former owner * * * magic that attempts to affect a person… …   Useful english dictionary

  • homeopathic magic — noun : imitative magic * * * homeopathic magic, = sympathetic magic. (Cf. ↑sympathetic magic) …   Useful english dictionary

  • sympathetic magic — noun : magic based on the assumption that a person or thing can be supernaturally affected through its name or an object (as a nail paring, image, or dancer) representing it : contagious magic compare imitative magic …   Useful english dictionary

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