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.
[1913 Webster]
The mild air, with season moderate,
Gently attempered, and disposed eo well,
That still it breathed foorth sweet spirit.
--Spenser.
[1913 Webster]
2. A rough breathing; an aspirate, as the letter h; also, a
mark to denote aspiration; a breathing. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Be it a letter or spirit, we have great use for it.
--B. Jonson.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
There is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the
Almighty giveth them understanding. --Job xxxii.
8.
[1913 Webster]
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead also. --James ii.
26.
[1913 Webster]
Spirit is a substance wherein thinking, knowing,
doubting, and a power of moving, do subsist.
--Locke.
[1913 Webster]
5. Specifically, a disembodied soul; the human soul after it
has left the body.
[1913 Webster]
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was,
and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
--Eccl. xii.
7.
[1913 Webster]
Ye gentle spirits far away,
With whom we shared the cup of grace. --Keble.
[1913 Webster]
6. Any supernatural being, good or bad; an apparition; a
specter; a ghost; also, sometimes, a sprite,; a fairy; an
elf.
[1913 Webster]
Whilst young, preserve his tender mind from all
impressions of spirits and goblins in the dark.
--Locke.
[1913 Webster]
7. Energy, vivacity, ardor, enthusiasm, courage, etc.
[1913 Webster]
"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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
Such spirits as he desired to please, such would I
choose for my judges. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
God has . . . made a spirit of building succeed a
spirit of pulling down. --South.
[1913 Webster]
A perfect judge will read each work of wit
With the same spirit that its author writ. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
11. Tenuous, volatile, airy, or vapory substance, possessed
of active qualities.
[1913 Webster]
All bodies have spirits . . . within them. --Bacon.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
13. pl. Rum, whisky, brandy, gin, and other distilled liquors
having much alcohol, in distinction from wine and malt
liquors.
[1913 Webster]
14. (Med.) A solution in alcohol of a volatile principle. Cf.
Tincture. --U. S. Disp.
[1913 Webster]
15. (Alchemy) Any one of the four substances, sulphur, sal
ammoniac, quicksilver, or arsenic (or, according to some,
orpiment).
[1913 Webster]
The four spirits and the bodies seven. --Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
16. (Dyeing) Stannic chloride. See under Stannic.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Spirit is sometimes joined with other words, forming
compounds, generally of obvious signification; as,
spirit-moving, spirit-searching, spirit-stirring, etc.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Life; ardor; energy; fire; courage; animatioon;
cheerfulness; vivacity; enterprise.
[1913 Webster]
|
Animal \An"i*mal\, a. [Cf. F. animal.]
1. Of or relating to animals; as, animal functions.
[1913 Webster]
2. Pertaining to the merely sentient part of a creature, as
distinguished from the intellectual, rational, or
spiritual part; as, the animal passions or appetites.
[1913 Webster]
3. Consisting of the flesh of animals; as, animal food.
[1913 Webster]
Animal magnetism. See Magnetism and Mesmerism.
Animal electricity, the electricity developed in some
animals, as the electric eel, torpedo, etc.
Animal flower (Zool.), a name given to certain marine
animals resembling a flower, as any species of actinia or
sea anemone, and other Anthozoa, hydroids, starfishes,
etc.
Animal heat (Physiol.), the heat generated in the body of a
living animal, by means of which the animal is kept at
nearly a uniform temperature.
Animal spirits. See under Spirit.
Animal kingdom, the whole class of beings endowed with
animal life. It embraces several subkingdoms, and under
these there are Classes, Orders, Families, Genera,
Species, and sometimes intermediate groupings, all in
regular subordination, but variously arranged by different
writers.
Note: The following are the grand divisions, or subkingdoms,
and the principal classes under them, generally
recognized at the present time:
Vertebrata, including Mammalia or Mammals, Aves or
Birds, Reptilia, Amphibia, Pisces or Fishes,
Marsipobranchiata (Craniota); and Leptocardia
(Acrania). Tunicata, including the Thaliacea, and
Ascidioidea or Ascidians. Articulata or Annulosa,
including Insecta, Myriapoda, Malacapoda, Arachnida,
Pycnogonida, Merostomata, Crustacea (Arthropoda); and
Annelida, Gehyrea (Anarthropoda).
Helminthes or Vermes, including Rotifera,
Ch[ae]tognatha, Nematoidea, Acanthocephala, Nemertina,
Turbellaria, Trematoda, Cestoidea, Mesozea.
|