spirit

noun

1》 the non-physical part of a person which is the seat of emotions and character.

    ↘this regarded as surviving after the death of the body, often manifested as a ghost.

    ↘a supernatural being.

2》 the prevailing or typical quality or mood: the nation's egalitarian spirit.

    ↘a person identified with their role or most prominent quality: he was a leading spirit in the conference.

    ↘(spirits) a person's mood.

3》 courage, energy, and determination.

4》 the real meaning or intention of something as opposed to its strict verbal interpretation.

5》 chiefly Brit. strong distilled alcoholic drink such as rum.

    ↘[with modifier] a volatile liquid, especially a fuel, prepared by distillation: aviation spirit.

    ↘archaic a solution of volatile components extracted from something: spirits of turpentine.

6》 archaic a highly refined substance or fluid thought to govern vital phenomena.

verb (spirits, spiriting, spirited)

1》 (usu. spirit something away) convey rapidly and secretly.

2》 (spirit someone up) archaic animate or cheer up someone.

Phrases

in (or in the) spirit in thought or intention though not physically.

when the spirit moves one when one feels inclined to do something. [a phr. orig. in Quaker use, with ref. to the Holy Spirit.]

Origin

ME: from Anglo-Norman Fr., from L. spiritus 'breath, spirit', from spirare 'breathe'.