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wood spirit

noun
  1. methyl alcohol.
  2. (especially in folklore) a supernatural, incorporeal being believed to inhabit the forest.
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Origin of wood spirit

First recorded in 1835–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for wood spirit

Historical Examples of wood spirit

  • So he summoned up his courage and addressed the wood-spirit as he thought.

    Fairy Tales from the German Forests

    Margaret Arndt

  • "We thought he was a wood-spirit—a—a—I can't remember the name," said Cecil.

    Five Minutes' Stories

    Mrs. (Mary Louisa) Molesworth

  • Wood-spirit, petroleum and coal-tar distillates are condensed in plant of the latter type.

  • The Tengus of Japanese legend have many of the characteristic marks of the wood-spirit.

    The Sacred Tree

    J. H. Philpot

British Dictionary definitions for wood spirit

wood spirit

noun
  1. chem another name for methanol
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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