mes·mer·ize [ mézmə rz ](past and past participlemes·mer·ized, present participlemes·mer·iz·ing, 3rd person present singularmes·mer·iz·es)
transitive verb
Definition:
1. absorb somebody's attention: to fascinate somebody or absorb all of somebody's attention The speaker mesmerized the audience with his dramatic tale.
2. hypnotize: to hypnotize somebody, especially by a method formerly believed to involve animal magnetism
[Early 19th century. After F. A. Mesmer (1734-1815), Austrian physician]