spirit

[ spir-it ]

/ ˈspɪr ɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR spirit ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or mediating between body and soul.

the incorporeal part of humans: present in spirit though absent in body.

the soul regarded as separating from the body at death.

conscious, incorporeal being, as opposed to matter: the world of spirit.

a supernatural, incorporeal being, especially one inhabiting a place, object, etc., or having a particular character: evil spirits.

a fairy, sprite, or elf.

an angel or demon.

an attitude or principle that inspires, animates, or pervades thought, feeling, or action: the spirit of reform.

(initial capital letter) the divine influence as an agency working in the human heart.

a divine, inspiring, or animating being or influence. Num. 11:25; Is. 32:15.

(initial capital letter) the third person of the Trinity; Holy Spirit.

the soul or heart as the seat of feelings or sentiments, or as prompting to action: a man of broken spirit.

spirits, feelings or mood with regard to exaltation or depression: low spirits; good spirits.

excellent disposition or attitude in terms of vigor, courage, firmness of intent, etc.; mettle: That's the spirit!

temper or disposition: meek in spirit.

an individual as characterized by a given attitude, disposition, character, action, etc.: A few brave spirits remained to face the danger.

the dominant tendency or character of anything: the spirit of the age.

vigorous sense of membership in a group: college spirit.

the general meaning or intent of a statement, document, etc. (opposed to letter): the spirit of the law.

Chemistry. the essence or active principle of a substance as extracted in liquid form, especially by distillation.

Often spirits. a strong distilled alcoholic liquor.

Chiefly British. alcohol.

Pharmacology. a solution in alcohol of an essential or volatile principle; essence(def 3).

any of certain subtle fluids formerly supposed to permeate the body.

the Spirit, God

adjective

pertaining to something that works by burning alcoholic spirits: a spirit stove.

of or relating to spiritualist bodies or activities.

verb (used with object)

to animate with fresh ardor or courage; inspirit.

to encourage; urge on or stir up, as to action.

to carry off mysteriously or secretly (often followed by away or off): His captors spirited him away.

Nearby words

spires, spiriferous, spirillar, spirillum, spirillum minus, spirit, spirit away, spirit cave, spirit compass, spirit gum, spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, the

Idioms

out of spirits, in low spirits; depressed: We were feeling out of spirits after so many days of rain.

Origin of spirit

1200–50; Middle English (noun) < Latin spīritus orig., a breathing, equivalent to spīri-, combining form representing spīrāre to breathe + -tus suffix of v. action

SYNONYMS FOR spirit

2 life, mind, consciousness, essence.

5 apparition, phantom, shade. See ghost.

6 goblin, hobgoblin.

7 genius.

14 enthusiasm, energy, zeal, ardor, fire, enterprise.

15 attitude, mood, humor.

17 nature, drift, tenor, gist, essence, sense, complexion.

19 intention, significance, purport.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR spirit ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsspir·it·like, adjectivenon·spir·it, nounout·spir·it, verb (used with object)un·spir·it·ing, adjective

Can be confusedspirit sprite

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for spirit away (1 of 3)

Spirit

/ (ˈspɪrɪt) /

noun the Spirit

another name for the Holy Spirit
God, esp when regarded as transcending material limitations

the influence of God or divine things upon the soul

Christian Science God or divine substance

British Dictionary definitions for spirit away (2 of 3)

spirit

/ (ˈspɪrɪt) /

noun

the force or principle of life that animates the body of living things

temperament or dispositiontruculent in spirit

liveliness; mettlethey set to it with spirit

the fundamental, emotional, and activating principle of a person; willthe experience broke his spirit

a sense of loyalty or dedicationteam spirit

the prevailing element; feelinga spirit of joy pervaded the atmosphere

state of mind or mood; attitudehe did it in the wrong spirit

(plural) an emotional state, esp with regard to exaltation or dejectionin high spirits

a person characterized by some activity, quality, or dispositiona leading spirit of the movement

the deeper more significant meaning as opposed to a pedantic interpretationthe spirit of the law

that which constitutes a person's intangible being as contrasted with his physical presenceI shall be with you in spirit

an incorporeal being, esp the soul of a dead person
(as modifier)spirit world

verb (tr)

(usually foll by away or off) to carry off mysteriously or secretly

(often foll by up) to impart animation or determination to

Word Origin for spirit

C13: from Old French esperit, from Latin spīritus breath, spirit; related to spīrāre to breathe

British Dictionary definitions for spirit away (3 of 3)

spirit

/ (ˈspɪrɪt) /

noun

(often plural) any distilled alcoholic liquor such as brandy, rum, whisky, or gin

chem

an aqueous solution of ethanol, esp one obtained by distillation
the active principle or essence of a substance, extracted as a liquid, esp by distillation

pharmacol

a solution of a volatile substance, esp a volatile oil, in alcohol
(as modifier)a spirit burner

alchemy any of the four substances sulphur, mercury, sal ammoniac, or arsenic

Word Origin for spirit

C14: special use of spirit 1, name applied to alchemical substances (as in sense 4), hence extended to distilled liquids

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for spirit away (1 of 2)

spirit

mid-13c., "animating or vital principle in man and animals," from Old French espirit, from Latin spiritus "soul, courage, vigor, breath," related to spirare "to breathe," from PIE *(s)peis- "to blow" (cf. Old Church Slavonic pisto "to play on the flute").

Original usage in English mainly from passages in Vulgate, where the Latin word translates Greek pneuma and Hebrew ruah. Distinction between "soul" and "spirit" (as "seat of emotions") became current in Christian terminology (e.g. Greek psykhe vs. pneuma, Latin anima vs. spiritus) but "is without significance for earlier periods" [Buck]. Latin spiritus, usually in classical Latin "breath," replaces animus in the sense "spirit" in the imperial period and appears in Christian writings as the usual equivalent of Greek pneuma.

Meaning "supernatural being" is attested from c.1300 (see ghost); that of "essential principle of something" (in a non-theological sense, e.g. Spirit of St. Louis) is attested from 1690, common after 1800. Plural form spirits "volatile substance" is an alchemical idea, first attested 1610; sense narrowed to "strong alcoholic liquor" by 1670s. This also is the sense in spirit level (1768).

Word Origin and History for spirit away (1 of 2)

spirit

1590s, "to make more active or energetic" (of blood, alcohol, etc.), from spirit (n.). The meaning "carry off or away secretly" (as though by supernatural agency) is first recorded 1660s.

Medicine definitions for spirit away

spirit

[ spĭr′ĭt ]

n.

spirits An alcohol solution of an essential or volatile substance.

spirits An alcoholic beverage, especially distilled liquor.

A liquid that has been distilled.

Idioms and Phrases with spirit away (1 of 2)

spirit away

Carry off mysteriously or secretly, as in The police found that the documents had been spirited away from the office. This term derives from the noun spirit, in the sense of “a supernatural being such as a ghost.” [Second half of 1600s]

Idioms and Phrases with spirit away (2 of 2)

spirit

In addition to the idioms beginning with spirit

spirit away
spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, the

also see:

kindred spirit

spirit

noun

adjective

verb (used with object)

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British Dictionary definitions for spirit away (1 of 3)

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noun the Spirit

British Dictionary definitions for spirit away (2 of 3)

spirit

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Word Origin for spirit

British Dictionary definitions for spirit away (3 of 3)

spirit

noun

Word Origin for spirit

Word Origin and History for spirit away (1 of 2)

spirit

Word Origin and History for spirit away (1 of 2)

spirit

Medicine definitions for spirit away

spirit

n.

Idioms and Phrases with spirit away (1 of 2)

spirit away

Idioms and Phrases with spirit away (2 of 2)

spirit