Spirit \Spir"it\, 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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Note: 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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