ˈspɪrɪt n. & v. --n. 1 a
the vital animating
essence of a
person or
animal (was sadly
broken in spirit). b the
intelligent non-physical part of a person; the
soul. 2 a a
rational or intelligent
being without a
material body. b a
supernatural being
such as a
ghost,
fairy, etc. (haunted by spirits). 3 a prevailing
mental or
moral condition or
attitude; a mood; a
tendency (public spirit;
took it in the
wrong spirit). 4 a (usu. in pl.)
strong distilled
liquor, e.g.
brandy,
whisky, gin, rum. b a distilled
volatile liquid (wood spirit). c purified
alcohol (methylated spirit). d a
solution of a volatile
principle in alcohol; a
tincture (spirit of ammonia). 5 a a person's mental or moral
nature or qualities, usu. specified (has an
unbending spirit). b a person viewed as possessing
these (is an
ardent spirit). c (in full
high spirit)
courage,
energy, vivacity,
dash (played
with spirit; infused
him with spirit). 6 the real
meaning as opposed to
lip service or
verbal expression (the spirit of the law). 7
archaic an
immaterial principle thought to
govern vital
phenomena (animal spirits). --v.tr. (spirited, spiriting) (usu. foll. by
away,
off, etc.)
convey rapidly
and secretly by or as if by spirits. øin (or in the) spirit
inwardly (shall be with
you in spirit). spirit
duplicator a duplicator using an
alcoholic solution to
reproduce copies
from a
master sheet. spirit gum a quick-drying solution of gum used
esp.
for attaching
false hair. spirit-lamp a
lamp burning methylated or
other volatile spirits
instead of
oil. spirit-level a bent
glass tube nearly filled with alcohol used to test horizontality by the
position of an air-bubble. the spirit moves a person he or
she feels inclined (to do something) (orig. in
Quaker use). spirit (or spirits) of
wine archaic purified alcohol. spirits of
salt archaic hydrochloric
acid. spirit up
animate or
cheer (a person). [ME f. AF (e)spirit, OF esp(e)rit, f. L spiritus
breath, spirit f. spirare breathe]