spirit
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Topics: alchemy
business
dyeing
human-sciences
manufacturing
philosophy
pseudoscience
sciences
textiles
Etymology: Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys-der.?
Latin spīrō
Proto-Indo-European *-tus
Proto-Italic *-tus
Latin -tus
Latin spīritus
Old French espiritbor.
Middle English spirit
English spirit
From Middle English spirit, from Old French espirit (“spirit”), from Latin spīritus (“breath; spirit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow, breathe”). Compare inspire, respire, transpire, all ultimately from Latin spīrō (“to breathe, blow, respire”). In this sense, displaced native Middle English gast (from Old English gāst), whence modern English ghost. Doublet of spiritus, spirytus, sprite, spright, and esprit.
Inflected forms:
form: spirits
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: spir't
pos: noun
tags: alternative
Early
Modern
form: spirits
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: spiriting
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: spirited
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: spirited
pos: verb
tags: past
form: spir't
pos: verb
tags: alternative
Early
Modern
Senses:
gloss: The soul of a person or other creature.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: […] St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge walls of factories, it at once banished lively interest from a stranger's mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.
[…] a triumph of the spirit over the flesh.
I don't understand these people who call themselves spiritual advisors. Franklin Graham, the unfortunate son of Billy Graham, is George Bush's spiritual advisor. Bill Clinton had Jesse Jackson.
Here's the part I don't understand: How can someone else advise you on your spirit? Isn't spirit an intensely personal, internal thing? Doesn't it, by its very nature, elude definition, much less analysis? What kind of advice could some drone who has devoted his life to the self-deception of religion possibly give you about your spirit? It sounds like a hustle to me.
Turians believe that groups and areas have "spirits" that transcend the individual. For example, a military unit would be considered to have a literal spirit that embodies the honor and courage it has displayed. A city's spirit reflects the accomplishments and industry of its residents. An ancient tree's spirit reflects the beauty and tranquility of the area it grows within.
These spirits are neither good nor evil, nor are they appealed to for intercession. Turians do not believe spirits can affect the world, but spirits can inspire the living. Prayers and rituals allow an individual to converse with a spirit for guidance or inspiration. For example a turian who finds his loyalty tested may appeal to the spirit of his unit, hoping to reconnect with the pride and honor of the group. A turian who wishes to create a work of art may attempt to connect with the spirit of a beautiful location.
gloss: A supernatural being, often but not exclusively without physical form; ghost, fairy, angel.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: A wandering spirit haunts the island.
He has seen spirits roam the house.
Whilst young, preserve his tender mind from all impressions and notions of spirits and goblins[…] in the dark.
An unusual custom is followed at Llangennith, when shotguns are fired at a wedding - to scare off evil spirits from the newlyweds.
Walk slowly with a spirit by your side.
gloss: A feeling of passion.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: School spirit is at an all-time high.
The result may not quite give the Wearsiders a sweet ending to what has been a sour week, following allegations of sexual assault and drug possession against defender Titus Bramble, but it does at least demonstrate that their spirit remains strong in the face of adversity.
gloss: A feeling of passion.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: "Write it then, quickly," replied Bede; and summoning all his spirits together, like the last blaze of a candle going out, he indited it, and expired.
gloss: The manner or style of something.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: In the spirit of forgiveness, we didn't press charges.
No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or[…]. And at last I began to realize in my harassed soul that all elusion was futile, and to take such holidays as I could get, when he was off with a girl, in a spirit of thankfulness.
A perfect judge will read each work of wit / With the same spirit that its author writ.
gloss: Intent; real meaning; opposed to the letter, or formal statement.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: the spirit of an enterprise, or of a document
gloss: A volatile liquid, such as alcohol. The plural form spirits is a generic term for distilled alcoholic beverages.
pos: noun
tags: countable
plural-normally
uncountable
examples: CRYSTALS of Venus or of copper, called also vitriol of Venus, is copper reduced into the form of vitriol by spirit of nitre, or by dissolving verdegris in good distilled vinegar, till the acid be saturated; it is very caustic and used to eat off proud flesh. It is also used by painters, and manufacturers, and sold under the name of distilled vinegar. See CHEMISTRY.
Another pair of terms which caused some confusion were Spirit of Saturn and Spirit of Venus, names suggesting compounds of lead and copper respectively. Jean Beguin described the preparation from minium and distilled vinegar of a liquid he called burning spirit of Saturn, because it was inflammable and he thought it was a compound of lead. Actually the lead takes no part in the reaction and the product of distilling lead acetate is impure acetone. Beguin’s terminology did not go without comment however, for Christopher Glaser later referred to ‘A burning Spirit of Saturn (as it is called) but rather, a Spirit of the Volatile Salt of Vinegar’. Tachenius referred to the product of distillation of copper acetate as ‘pretended spirit of Venus’ because it was really only distilled vinegar - the meaning which Macquer gave to the expression. It is typical of the confusion of terminology in early chemistry that the London Pharmacopoeia of 1721 gave the name Spiritus Veneris to sulphuric acid obtained by the distillation of copper sulphate.
gloss: One who is vivacious or lively; one who evinces great activity or peculiar characteristics of mind or temper.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: a ruling spirit; a schismatic spirit
Such spirits as he desired to please, such would I choose for my judges.
gloss: Temper or disposition of mind; mental condition or disposition; intellectual or moral state.
pos: noun
tags: countable
in-plural
often
uncountable
examples: to be cheerful, or in good spirits; to be down-hearted, or in bad spirits
God has […] made a spirit of building succeed a spirit of pulling down.
gloss: Air set in motion by breathing; breath; hence, sometimes, life itself.
pos: noun
tags: countable
obsolete
uncountable
examples: For else he sure had left not one aliue,>br>But all in his reuenge of spirite would depriue.
But the milde air with season moderate / Gently attempred, and disposd so well, / That still it breathed forth sweet spirit & holesome smell.
gloss: A rough breathing; an aspirate, such as the letter h; also, a mark denoting aspiration.
pos: noun
tags: countable
obsolete
uncountable
examples: Be it a letter or spirit, we have great use of it.
gloss: Any of the four substances: sulphur, sal ammoniac, quicksilver, and arsenic (or, according to some, orpiment).
pos: noun
tags: countable
obsolete
uncountable
gloss: Stannic chloride.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: The essence behind historical development of both individual and society evolving towards the Absolute.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: To carry off, especially in haste, secrecy, or mystery.
pos: verb
examples: I felt as if I had been spirited into some castle of felicity.
When I was young and full of grace, I sprited a rattlesnake.
When I was young, a fever fell my spirit; I will not tell.
You're on your honor not to tell.
God does not make an appearance, but the Devil (Ms. Pinal) emphatically does: first in the guise of a schoolgirl who tries to lure Simon down with the sight of her shapely legs; then as a bearded but blatantly female Jesus carrying a lamb; and finally as a stylishly coiffed woman who succeeds in spiriting Simon off, by means of a jet, to a Manhattan discotheque — Buñuel’s persuasive idea of hell.
gloss: Sometimes followed by up: to animate with vigour; to excite; to encourage; to inspirit.
pos: verb
examples: Civil dissensions often spirit the ambition of private men.
[H]e left behind many Officers and private Men, vvho novv ſpirit-up and aſſiſt thoſe obſtinate People to continue in their Rebellion.
Synonyms: spirit
liqueur
liquor
apparition
specter
vision
Related words: ghost
soul
:Category:en:Distilled beverages
Derived words: Aloha Spirit
ancestor spirit
astral spirit
community spirit
Corinthian spirit
despirit
dispirit
driving spirit
dulcified spirit
Dunkirk spirit
fighting spirit
free spirit
good spirits
grain neutral spirit
grain spirit
grape neutral spirit
Great Spirit
high spirits
Holy Spirit
industrial methylated spirit
in good spirits
in spirit
in the spirit it was meant
kampong spirit
kampung spirit
kindred spirit
lift someone's spirits
low spirits
master spirit
methylated spirit
methylated spirits
mineral spirits
motor spirit
moving spirit
neutral grain spirit
neutral grape spirit
neutral spirit
nonspirit
out of spirits
party spirit
perispirit
petroleum spirit
poor in spirit
proof spirit
public spirit
pyroacetic spirit
pyroxylic spirit
raise someone's spirits
rectified spirit
respirit
rice-spirit
shad-spirit
spirit animal
spirit bear
spirit blue
spirit board
spirit cabinet
spirit child
spirit communication
spirit doctor
spiritdom
spirit duck
spirit duplicator
spirited
spiriten
spiriter
spiritess
spirit-filled
spirit fingers
spiritful
spirit gum
spirithood
spirit house
spiritic
spiritish
spiritism
Spiritism
Spiritist
spiritist
spiritistic
spiritize
Spirit Lake
spirit lamp
spiritless
spirit level
spiritlike
spiritling
spiritly
spiritman
spirit-man
spirit man
spirit marriage
spirit master
spirit molecule
spirit money
spiritmonger
spirit moose
spiritness
spirit of box
spirit of hartshorn
Spirit of Light
spirit of Mindererus
spirit of nitre
spirit of salt
spirit of the law
Spirit of the Lord
Spirit of Truth
spirit of turpentine
Spirit of Verity
spirit of vitriol
spirit of wine
spiritous
spirit path
spirit photographer
spirit photography
spirit rapper
spirit rapping
spirit road
spirit-room
spiritship
spirits of hartshorn
spirits of salt
spirits of salts
spirits of wine
spiritsome
spirit-stand
spirit stove
spirit tablet
spirit trumpet
spiritual
spirituality
spiritually
spirit vinegar
spirit way
spiritweed
spirit week
spiritwise
spirit world
spirit writing
spirity
surgical spirit
sweet spirits of nitre
team spirit
that's the spirit
the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
the spirit moves one
the spirit moves someone
time spirit
two spirit
two-spirit
unspirit
up spirits
white spirit
witchspirit
wood spirit
zombie spirit
spirit away
spirit off
Translations: