Defn: Any one of the four substances, sulphur, sal ammoniac, quicksilver, or arsenic (or, according to some, orpiment). The four spirits and the bodies seven. Chaucer.
16. (Dyeing)
Defn: Stannic chloride. See under Stannic.
Note: 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 distillatin of alcohol with nitric and sulphuric acids, and consists essentially of ethyl nitrite with a little acetic aldehyde. It is used 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.
Syn. — Life; ardor; energy; fire; courage; animatioon; cheerfulness; vivacity; enterprise.
SPIRIT
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. I felt as if I had been spirited into some castle of antiquity. Willis. Spiriting away (Law), causing to leave; the offense of inducing a witness to leave a jurisdiction so as to evade process requiring attendance at trial.
SPIRITALLY
Spir"it*al*ly, adv.Etym: [L. spiritalis belonging to breathing.]
Defn: By means of the breath. [Obs.] Holder.