| 释义 |
spir·it
I. \ˈspirə̇t, chiefly dial ˈsper-; usu -ə̇d.+V\ noun
(-s)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French or Latin; Old French spirit, espirit, esperit, from Latin spiritus spirit, breath; akin to Old Norse fīsa to break wind, Latin spirare to breathe, and perhaps to Old Slavic piskati to play a reed instrument
1. : the breath of life : the animating or vital principle giving life to physical organisms
2.
a. : a supernatural being (as an apparition, specter, sprite, or elf)
b. : a supernatural, incorporeal, rational being or personality usually invisible to human beings but having the power to become visible at will; especially : one held to be troublesome, terrifying, or hostile to mankind
c. : a supernatural being held to be able to enter into and possess a person
< possessed by a malign spirit >
d. : a being having an incorporeal or immaterial nature
< God is a spirit — Jn 4:24 (Authorized Version) >
3. usually capitalized
a. : the active essence of the Deity serving as an invisible and life-giving or inspiring power in motion
< the Spirit of God was a silent partner in the production of many of these first Christian … sermons — H.H.Meyer >
b. : one manifestation of the divine nature : one of the persons of the Trinity : holy spirit
< at Pentecost the Spirit came down from heaven as cloven tongues of fire — D.C.Simpson >
4.
a. : soul
< into thy hands I commit my spirit — Lk 23:46 (Revised Standard Version) >
b. : a disembodied soul existing as an independent entity : the soul departed from the body of a deceased person
5.
a. : temper or disposition of mind : disposition, mood — usually used in plural
< in good spirits >
< in bad spirits >
b. : mental vigor or animation : cheerfulness, liveliness, vivacity
< full of spirits >
6. : the immaterial intelligent or sentient part of a person : the vital principle in man coming as a gift from God and providing one's pesonality with its inward structure, dynamic drive, and creative response to the demands it encounters in the process of becoming
7.
a. : the activating or essential principle of something (as an emotion or frame of mind) influencing a person
b. : an inclination, impulse, or tendency of a specified kind
8. archaic : the emotional source of hostile or angry feeling in a person
9. often capitalized : life or consciousness having an independent type of existence
< idealists maintain that the essential nature of the universe is spirit >
< pantheists assert that spirit pervades the universe >
10. archaic : a movement of the air : a breath of wind : breeze, wind
< the balmy spirit of the western gale — Alexander Pope >
11. spirits plural : bodily constitution that is the source of energy and strength : vital power : physical energy : the normal operation of the vital functions
12. : a subtle substance (as a kind of breath or vapor) formerly held to permeate the blood and the principal body organs and to animate the body as a physical organism — usually used in plural; see animal spirits, natural spirits, vital spirits
13. spirits plural, obsolete : mental constitution that is the source of perception and active thought : mental powers : intellect
< his spirit should hunt after new fancies — Shakespeare >
14.
a. : a special attitude or frame of mind charactertizing an individual or group : a character, disposition, or temper peculiar to and often animating a particular individual or group
b. : the frame of mind, feeling, or disposition characterizing something (as an action, consideration, or view)
15.
a. : a lively or brisk quality in something
b. : stimulated or high characteristics (as liveliness, energy, vivacity, ardor, enthusiasm, or courage) in a person or his actions
16. : an individual person considered with reference to characteristics of mind or temper : one having a character or disposition of a specified nature
17. : a mental disposition characterized by firmness or assertiveness : ardor, courage, mettle
18.
a. archaic : a liquid produced by distillation
b. : the flammable liquid containing ordinary alcohol and water as its main ingredients that is separated by distillation from any alcoholic liquid or mash and that is colorless and flavorless if highly rectified but that in the case of whiskey, brandy, or similar liquors derives its qualities from the nature of the source (as grain or fruit) from which it is made
< taxable distilled spirits — U.S. Code >
— often used in plural; compare distilled liquor, methylated spirit, proof spirit
c. : any of various volatile liquids obtained by distillation and sometimes by cracking (as of petroleum, shale, or wood) and used chiefly as fuels and solvents
< shale spirit >
— often used in plural; see motor spirit, petroleum spirit, wood spirit
d. : alcohol 3, rectified spirit
e. : any of various usually volatile organic solvents (as other alcohols, esters, ketones, or hydrocarbons) used similarly to alcohol — compare spirit-soluble
19. obsolete : a volatile agent or essence that is a constituent and usually life-giving element of a natural body
< the spirits … that are in all tangible bodies are scarce known — Francis Bacon >
20.
a. : the essential character of something : characteristic quality especially as derived from individual genius or personal character : the pervading principle of something
b. : the prevailing tone or tendency
< the spirit of the age >
< the spirit of the enterprise >
c. : the general intent or real meaning of something (as a statement or law) — opposed to letter
21. : an alcoholic solution of a volatile substance (as an essential oil)
< spirit of peppermint >
: alcoholate 2 — called also essence; compare elixir 2, tincture
22. : any of various solutions especially of tin salts used as mordants in dyeing
< aniline spirit >
< scarlet spirit >
23. : enthusiastic loyalty
< school spirit >
< class spirit >
< college spirit >
24. Hegelianism : the complex of human institutions (as family, society, state, and church) and productions in art, poetry, science, and culture
25. capitalized, Christian Science : god II b(6)
Synonyms: see courage, vigor
•
- in spirits
- out of spirits
II. transitive verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
1. archaic : to make (as the blood or a liquor) more lively or active
< our quick blood, spirited with wine — Shakespeare >
2. : to infuse with energy, ardor, or life : animate, encourage, inspirit, stimulate
< some rum … to spirit me for what was before me — Daniel Defoe >
— sometimes used with up
< spirit up our captives — Robert Browning >
< inspire some … maid to spirit up her countrymen — Thomas Paine >
3. obsolete
a. : to invest with a spirit or animating principle
< thy high commands must spirit all our wars — Alexander Pope >
b. : to endow with a special spirit or character
4.
a. : to carry off, make away with, or remove rapidly and secretly or mysteriously as if by the agency of a spirit
< seemed to spirit the things off the table without sound or effort — R.S.Surtees >
< he spirited from the files … canceled checks and other records — H.H.Martin >
— sometimes used with away
< residents … spirited away the records — American Guide Series: Louisiana >
b. : to convey to a destination in a secret or mysterious way
< managed to spirit the proprietor out of town — American Guide Series: Nevada >
< spirited his ensemble aboard a westbound liner — Ann M. Lingg >
— sometimes used with away
< was spirited away to a secret hideaway — Associated Press >
c. : to abduct or cause to disappear mysteriously : kidnap — usually used with away
< women and children … spirited away to America to be sold into bondage — American Guide Series: North Carolina >
< the man was spirited away, badly beaten, and sent back — J.A.Michener >
5. archaic : to bring about : instigate — usually used with up
< determined to spirit up a cruel war — John & William Langhorne > |