GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  1.       

    Spirit , n. [OF. espirit, esperit, F. esprit, L. spiritus, from spirare to breathe, to blow. Cf. Conspire, Expire, Esprit, Sprite.]
    1. Air set in motion by breathing; breath; hence, sometimes, life itself. [Obs.] “All of spirit would deprive.”
      Spenser.

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      The mild air, with season moderate,
      Gently attempered, and disposed eo well,
      That still it breathed foorth sweet spirit.
      Spenser.

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    2. A rough breathing; an aspirate, as the letter h; also, a mark to denote aspiration; a breathing. [Obs.]
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      Be it a letter or spirit, we have great use for it.
      B. Jonson.

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    3. Life, or living substance, considered independently of corporeal existence; an intelligence conceived of apart from any physical organization or embodiment; vital essence, force, or energy, as distinct from matter.
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    4. The intelligent, immaterial and immortal part of man; the soul, in distinction from the body in which it resides; the agent or subject of vital and spiritual functions, whether spiritual or material.
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      There is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
      Job xxxii. 8.

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      As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
      James ii. 26.

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      Spirit is a substance wherein thinking, knowing, doubting, and a power of moving, do subsist.
      Locke.

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    5. Specifically, a disembodied soul; the human soul after it has left the body.
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      Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
      Eccl. xii. 7.

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      Ye gentle spirits far away,
      With whom we shared the cup of grace.
      Keble.

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    6. Any supernatural being, good or bad; an apparition; a specter; a ghost; also, sometimes, a sprite,; a fairy; an elf.
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      Whilst young, preserve his tender mind from all impressions of spirits and goblins in the dark.
      Locke.

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    7. Energy, vivacity, ardor, enthusiasm, courage, etc.
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      “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.
      Fuller.

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    8. One who is vivacious or lively; one who evinces great activity or peculiar characteristics of mind or temper; as, a ruling spirit; a schismatic spirit.
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      Such spirits as he desired to please, such would I choose for my judges.
      Dryden.

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    9. Temper or disposition of mind; mental condition or disposition; intellectual or moral state; -- often in the plural; as, to be cheerful, or in good spirits; to be downhearted, or in bad spirits.
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      God has . . . made a spirit of building succeed a spirit of pulling down.
      South.

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      A perfect judge will read each work of wit
      With the same spirit that its author writ.
      Pope.

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    10. Intent; real meaning; -- opposed to the letter, or to formal statement; also, characteristic quality, especially such as is derived from the individual genius or the personal character; as, the spirit of an enterprise, of a document, or the like.
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    11. Tenuous, volatile, airy, or vapory substance, possessed of active qualities.
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      All bodies have spirits . . . within them.
      Bacon.

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    12. Any liquid produced by distillation; especially, alcohol, the spirits, or spirit, of wine (it having been first distilled from wine): -- often in the plural.
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    13. pl. Rum, whisky, brandy, gin, and other distilled liquors having much alcohol, in distinction from wine and malt liquors.
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    14. (Med.) A solution in alcohol of a volatile principle. Cf. Tincture.
      U. S. Disp.

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    15. (Alchemy) Any one of the four substances, sulphur, sal ammoniac, quicksilver, or arsenic (or, according to some, orpiment).
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      The four spirits and the bodies seven.
      Chaucer.

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    16. (Dyeing) Stannic chloride. See under Stannic.
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      ☞ Spirit is sometimes joined with other words, forming compounds, generally of obvious signification; as, spirit-moving, spirit-searching, spirit-stirring, etc.
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      Astral spirits, Familiar spirits, etc. See under Astral, Familiar, etc. -- Animal spirits. (a) (Physiol.) The fluid which at one time was supposed to circulate through the nerves and was regarded as the agent of sensation and motion; -- called also the nervous fluid, or nervous principle. (b) Physical health and energy; frolicsomeness; sportiveness. -- Ardent spirits, strong alcoholic liquors, as brandy, rum, whisky, etc., obtained by distillation. -- Holy Spirit, or The Spirit (Theol.), the Spirit of God, or the third person of the Trinity; the Holy Ghost. The spirit also signifies the human spirit as influenced or animated by the Divine Spirit. -- Proof spirit. (Chem.) See under Proof. -- Rectified spirit (Chem.), spirit rendered purer or more concentrated by redistillation, so as to increase the percentage of absolute alcohol. -- Spirit butterfly (Zool.), any one of numerous species of delicate butterflies of tropical America belonging to the genus Ithomia. The wings are gauzy and nearly destitute of scales. -- Spirit duck. (Zool.) (a) The buffle-headed duck. (b) The golden-eye. -- Spirit lamp (Art), a lamp in which alcohol or methylated spirit is burned. -- Spirit level. See under Level. -- Spirit of hartshorn. (Old Chem.) See under Hartshorn. -- Spirit of Mindererus (Med.), an aqueous solution of acetate of ammonium; -- named after R. Minderer, physician of Augsburg. -- Spirit of nitrous ether (Med. Chem.), a pale yellow liquid, of a sweetish taste and a pleasant ethereal odor. It is obtained by the distillation of alcohol with nitric and sulphuric acids, and consists essentially of ethyl nitrite with a little acetic aldehyde. It is used as a diaphoretic, diuretic, antispasmodic, etc. Called also sweet spirit of niter. -- Spirit of salt (Chem.), hydrochloric acid; -- so called because obtained from salt and sulphuric acid. [Obs.] -- Spirit of sense, the utmost refinement of sensation. [Obs.] Shak. -- Spirits of turpentine, or Spirit of turpentine (Chem.), rectified oil of turpentine, a transparent, colorless, volatile, and very inflammable liquid, distilled from the turpentine of the various species of pine; camphine. It is commonly used to remove paint from surfaces, or to dissole oil-based paint. See Camphine. -- Spirit of vitriol (Chem.), sulphuric acid; -- so called because formerly obtained by the distillation of green vitriol. [Obs.] -- Spirit of vitriolic ether (Chem.) ethyl ether; -- often but incorrectly called sulphuric ether. See Ether. [Obs.] -- Spirits of wine, or Spirit of wine (Chem.), alcohol; -- so called because formerly obtained by the distillation of wine. -- Spirit rapper, one who practices spirit rapping; a “medium” so called. -- Spirit rapping, an alleged form of communication with the spirits of the dead by raps. See Spiritualism, 3. -- Sweet spirit of niter. See Spirit of nitrous ether, above.
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      Syn. -- Life; ardor; energy; fire; courage; animatioon; cheerfulness; vivacity; enterprise.
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