a pretty good spell
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A long bout or pull, as a "spell at the capstan," etc. Spell ho! An exclamation to signify that the allotted time has expired, and men are to be relieved by another set.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a pretty good spell” mean?
A long bout or pull, as a "spell at the capstan," etc. Spell ho! An exclamation to signify that the allotted time has expired, and men are to be relieved by another set.
Is “a pretty good spell” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.