The premodern and early modern study of physical changes, particularly in Europe, Arabia, and China and chiefly in pursuit of an elixir of immortality, a universal panacea, and/or a philosopher's stone able to transmute base metals into gold, eventually developing into chemistry.
Any elaborate transformation process or algorithm.
The causing of any sort of mysterious sudden transmutation.
Some action carried out to bring about change as if by magic; a trick; sleight of hand, trickery.
Religious or supernatural phenomena one holds to be nonsense or mere trickery; superstitious mumbo-jumbo.
Some ineffectual action or speech, especially if intended to divert attention; nonsense.
A phrase used (by a stage magician, etc.) as a magical incantation to bring about some change: abracadabra, hey presto.