Spirit is sometimes joined with other words, forming compounds,
generally of obvious signification; as, spirit- moving,
spirit-searching, spirit-stirring, etc.
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 (Zoöl.), 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. (Zoöl.) (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, 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. 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.) ether; -- often but incorrectly called sulphuric ether. See
Ether. [Obs.] -- Spirits, 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.
Spir"it (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spirited; p. pr. & vb. n. Spiriting.]
1. To animate with vigor; to excite; to encourage; to inspirit; as,
civil dissensions often spirit the ambition of private men; --
sometimes followed by up.
Many officers and private men spirit up and assist those obstinate
people to continue in their rebellion.
Swift.
2. To convey rapidly and secretly, or mysteriously, as if by the agency
of a spirit; to kidnap; -- often with away, or off.
The ministry had him spirited away, and carried abroad as a
dangerous person.
Arbuthnot & Pope.