What is "spirit"

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.

   The mild air, with season moderate, Gently attempered, and disposed eo well, That still it breathed foorth sweet spirit.
   --Spenser.

2. A rough breathing; an aspirate, as the letter h; also, a mark to denote aspiration; a breathing. [Obs.]

   Be it a letter or spirit, we have great use for it.
   --B. Jonson.

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.

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.

   There is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
   --Job xxxii. 8.

   As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
   --James ii. 26.

   Spirit is a substance wherein thinking, knowing, doubting, and a power of moving, do subsist.
   --Locke.

5. Specifically, a disembodied soul; the human soul after it has left the body.

   Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
   --Eccl. xii. 7.

   Ye gentle spirits far away, With whom we shared the cup of grace.
   --Keble.

6. Any supernatural being, good or bad; an apparition; a specter; a ghost; also, sometimes, a sprite,; a fairy; an elf.

   Whilst young, preserve his tender mind from all impressions of spirits and goblins in the dark.
   --Locke.

7. Energy, vivacity, ardor, enthusiasm, courage, etc.

   ``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.

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.

   Such spirits as he desired to please, such would I choose for my judges.
   --Dryden.

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.

   God has . . . made a spirit of building succeed a spirit of pulling down.
   --South.

   A perfect judge will read each work of wit With the same spirit that its author writ.
   --Pope.

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.

11. Tenuous, volatile, airy, or vapory substance, possessed of active qualities.

    All bodies have spirits . . . within them.
    --Bacon.

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.

13. pl. Rum, whisky, brandy, gin, and other distilled liquors having much alcohol, in distinction from wine and malt liquors.

14. (Med.) A solution in alcohol of a volatile principle. Cf. Tincture.
    --U. S. Disp.

15. (Alchemy) 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) 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.

    1. (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.

    2. 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 (Zo["o]l.), 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. (Zo["o]l.)

       1. The buffle-headed duck.

       2. 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.

          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.

mid-13c., "animating or vital principle in man and animals," from Anglo-French spirit, Old French espirit "spirit, soul" (12c., Modern French esprit) and directly from Latin spiritus "a breathing (respiration, and of the wind), breath; breath of a god," hence "inspiration; breath of life," hence "life;" also "disposition, character; high spirit, vigor, courage; pride, arrogance," related to spirare "to breathe," from PIE *(s)peis- "to blow" (cognates: Old Church Slavonic pisto "to play on the flute").\n

\nMeaning "supernatural immaterial creature; angel, demon; an apparition, invisible corporeal being of an airy nature" is attested from mid-14c.; from late 14c. as "a ghost" (see ghost (n.)). From c.1500 as "a nature, character"; sense of "essential principle of something" (in a non-theological context, as in Spirit of St. Louis) is attested from 1680s, common after 1800; Spirit of '76 in reference to the qualities that sparked and sustained the American Revolution is attested by 1797 in William Cobbett's "Porcupine's Gazette and Daily Advertiser."\n

\nFrom late 14c. in alchemy as "volatile substance; distillate;" from c.1500 as "substance capable of uniting the fixed and the volatile elements of the philosopher's stone." Hence spirits "volatile substance;" sense narrowed to "strong alcoholic liquor" by 1670s. This also is the sense in spirit level (1768). Also from mid-14c. as "character, disposition; way of thinking and feeling, state of mind; source of a human desire;" in Middle English freedom of spirit meant "freedom of choice." From late 14c. as "divine substance, divine mind, God;" also "Christ" or His divine nature; "the Holy Ghost; divine power;" also, "extension of divine power to man; inspiration, a charismatic state; charismatic power, especially of prophecy." Also "essential nature, essential quality." From 1580s in metaphoric sense "animation, vitality."\n

\nAccording to Barnhart and OED, originally in English mainly from passages in Vulgate, where the Latin word translates Greek pneuma and Hebrew ruah. Distinction between "soul" and "spirit" (as "seat of emotions") became current in Christian terminology (such as Greek psykhe vs. pneuma, Latin anima vs. spiritus) but "is without significance for earlier periods" [Buck]. Latin spiritus, usually in classical Latin "breath," replaces animus in the sense "spirit" in the imperial period and appears in Christian writings as the usual equivalent of Greek pneuma. Spirit-rapping is from 1852.

1590s, "to make more active or energetic" (of blood, alcohol, etc.), from spirit (n.). The meaning "carry off or away secretly" (as though by supernatural agency) is first recorded 1660s. Related: Spirited; spiriting.

n. The collective souls of man or another entity. vb. To carry off, especially in haste, secrecy, or mystery.

1. n. the vital principle or animating force within living things

2. the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people; "the feel of the city excited him"; "a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting"; "it had the smell of treason" [syn: tone, feel, feeling, flavor, flavour, look, smell]

3. a fundamental emotional and activating principle determining one's character

4. any incorporeal supernatural being that can become visible (or audible) to human beings [syn: disembodied spirit]

5. the state of a person's emotions (especially with regard to pleasure or dejection); "his emotional state depended on her opinion"; "he was in good spirits"; "his spirit rose" [syn: emotional state]

6. the intended meaning of a communication [syn: intent, purport]

7. animation and energy in action or expression; "it was a heavy play and the actors tried in vain to give life to it" [syn: liveliness, life, sprightliness]

8. an inclination or tendency of a certain kind; "he had a change of heart" [syn: heart]

v. infuse with spirit; "The company spirited him up" [syn: spirit up, inspirit]

Spirit commonly refers to the non-corporeal essence of a being or entity.

Spirit may also refer to:

Spirit was an American rock band founded in 1967 and based in Los Angeles, California. Their most commercially successful single in the United States was " I Got a Line on You". They were also known for their albums, including their self-titled debut album, The Family That Plays Together, Clear, and Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus.

Spirit is the debut album by rock band Spirit, released on January 22, 1968. The experimental album was commercially successful, spending more than six months on the Billboard album charts, peaking at #31, and garnered significant underground FM airtime. The album was first published by Ode Records in 1968. It has since been reprinted by Sony, repackaged in compact-disc form and remastered from original analogue tapes.

Spirit, also known as MER-A (Mars Exploration Rover – A) or MER-2, is a robotic rover on Mars, active from 2004 to 2010. It was one of two rovers of NASA's ongoing Mars Exploration Rover Mission. It landed successfully on Mars at 04:35 Ground UTC on January 4, 2004, three weeks before its twin, Opportunity (MER-B), landed on the other side of the planet. Its name was chosen through a NASA-sponsored student essay competition. The rover became stuck in late 2009, and its last communication with Earth was sent on March 22, 2010.

The rover completed its planned 90- sol mission. Aided by cleaning events that resulted in more energy from its solar panels, Spirit went on to function effectively over twenty times longer than NASA planners expected. Spirit also logged of driving instead of the planned , allowing more extensive geological analysis of Martian rocks and planetary surface features. Initial scientific results from the first phase of the mission (the 90- sol prime mission) were published in a special issue of the journal Science.

On May 1, 2009 (5 years, 3 months, 27 Earth days after landing; 21.6 times the planned mission duration), Spirit became stuck in soft soil. This was not the first of the mission's "embedding events" and for the following eight months NASA carefully analyzed the situation, running Earth-based theoretical and practical simulations, and finally programming the rover to make extrication drives in an attempt to free itself. These efforts continued until January 26, 2010 when NASA officials announced that the rover was likely irrecoverably obstructed by its location in soft soil, though it continued to perform scientific research from its current location.

The rover continued in a stationary science platform role until communication with Spirit stopped on sol 2210 (March 22, 2010). JPL continued to attempt to regain contact until May 24, 2011, when NASA announced that efforts to communicate with the unresponsive rover had ended, calling the mission complete. A formal farewell took place at NASA headquarters after the 2011 Memorial Day holiday and was televised on NASA TV.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover project for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington.

The Spirit is a fictional masked crimefighter created by cartoonist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940, as the main feature of a 16-page, tabloid-sized, newsprint comic book insert distributed in the Sunday edition of Register and Tribune Syndicate newspapers; it was ultimately carried by 20 Sunday newspapers, with a combined circulation of five million copies during the 1940s. "The Spirit Section", as the insert was popularly known, continued until October 5, 1952. It generally included two other, four-page strips (initially Mr. Mystic and Lady Luck), plus filler material. Eisner was the editor, but also wrote and drew most entries—after the first few months, he had the uncredited assistance of writer Jules Feiffer and artists Jack Cole and Wally Wood, though Eisner's singular vision for the character was a unifying factor.

From the 1960s to 1980s, a handful of new Eisner Spirit stories appeared in Harvey Comics and elsewhere, and Warren Publishing and Kitchen Sink Press variously reprinted the newspaper feature in black-and-white comics magazines and in color comic books. In the 1990s and 2000s, Kitchen Sink Press and DC Comics also published new Spirit stories by other writers and artists.

The Spirit chronicles the adventures of a masked vigilante who fights crime with the blessing of the city's police commissioner Dolan, an old friend. Despite the Spirit's origin as detective Denny Colt, his real identity was virtually unmentioned again, and for all intents and purposes he was simply "the Spirit". The stories are presented in a wide variety of styles, from straightforward crime drama and noir to lighthearted adventure, from mystery and horror to comedy and love stories, often with hybrid elements that twisted genre and reader expectations.

Spirit (sometimes called Spirit Iron-Knife), is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's original tracker and debuted in 1984.

Spirit is the seventh studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1976 on Columbia Records. The album reached number 2 on the Billboard Pop and R&B Albums Chart and has been certified double platinum in the US by the RIAA. Charles Stepney died during the sessions for Spirit, and Maurice White took over fully the arranging and production duties for the band.

Spirit is the first full-length album by the Swiss folk metal band Eluveitie. It was released on 1 June 2006 by Fear Dark Records and re-released by Twilight Records in 2007.

Spirit was the second album by Sean Maguire, released in June 1996. Maguire spend most of 1995 and the beginning of 1996 recording the album while simultaneously juggling his acting career in Dangerfield.

Four singles were released from the album: "Now I've Found You", "You To Me Are Everything", "Good Day" and "Don't Pull Your Love".

"Spirit" is the seventh single released by British gothic rock band Bauhaus. It was released in 7" format on the Beggars Banquet label as a regular release with the band's distinctive logo on both sides (front black on white, back white on black) and as a picture disc in a clear vinyl pouch with white text printed on the reverse.

It peaked at No. 42 in the UK Singles Chart.

Spirit is the second studio album by singer/songwriter Jewel, released in 1998 by Atlantic. Singles include " Hands", " Down So Long," and a newly recorded version of " Jupiter," followed by a remix of "What's Simple Is True" to promote Jewel's debut film Ride with the Devil. In addition, a one track CD containing a live version of "Life Uncommon" was released to music stores in hopes to raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity.

Spirit debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 with 368,000 copies sold in its first week. It eventually sold 3.7 million units in the U.S.

The English word spirit, from Latin spiritus " breath", has many different meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body. It can also refer to a "subtle" as opposed to "gross" material substance, as in the famous last paragraph of Sir Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica.

The word spirit is often used metaphysically to refer to the consciousness or personality. The notions of a person's spirit and soul often also overlap, as both contrast with body and both are believed to survive bodily death in some religions, and "spirit" can also have the sense of " ghost", i.e. a manifestation of the spirit of a deceased person.

The term may also refer to any incorporeal or immaterial being, such as demons or deities. In the Bible, "the Spirit" (with a capital "S"), specifically denotes the Holy Spirit.

Spirit is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Leona Lewis, released by Syco Music in November 2007 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, followed by a worldwide release during early 2008. After winning the third series of reality singing contest The X Factor in December 2006, Lewis began recording the album in Sweden, the United Kingdom and United States, working with a variety of writers and producers. Critics praised the album for creating a contemporary album using such a variety of producers, and for showcasing Lewis's voice, though they criticised her "lack of personality". The release of the album marked Lewis as the first winner of a major television talent show in both the UK and US to be given a major global launch with a debut album.

The album debuted at number one in nine countries, including the United Kingdom, United States and Germany, and peaked in the top five in a further eight countries. It held the record for the biggest digital album sales in a week ever for a new artist. The album was the sixth biggest selling of 2008 in the world, as according to the IFPI. It has gone on to sell over 8 million copies worldwide, and was the fourth best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK, where it has since sold over 3.12 million copies and remains the best-selling debut album by a female artist.

Spirit spawned seven singles, including two from a re-release of the album. Lead international single " Bleeding Love" went on to top the charts in 36 countries, becoming one of the best selling singles by a female of all time. It was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Record of the Year at the 51st Grammy Awards, and British Single at the 2008 Brit Awards. Follow-up single " Better in Time" also fared well, charting in the top ten in thirteen countries and reaching number eleven in the US. After a well received performance of Snow Patrol's " Run" whilst promoting Spirit, Lewis recorded a cover version for the re-release of the album, titled Spirit – The Deluxe Edition, which was released as a download-only single in the UK, where it charted at number one, going on to be the third Platinum-selling single from Spirit, following X Factor winner's single " A Moment Like This" and "Bleeding Love".

"Spirit" is a 12-inch single, released in 1994 by the acid-house group Phuture, one of a series of releases that the group recorded for Strictly Rhythm Records.

Spirit is an album by country music singer Willie Nelson. The album differs from Nelson's other albums because of the use of fewer instruments (two guitars, piano, fiddle) and has a more classical/Spanish influence than others. Nelson's sister Bobbie plays piano.

Spirit is the 11th studio album by John Denver. It was released in August 1976. After the full-blown success of Windsong and its accompanying hit singles, this album began a downward chart trend for the singer, although he continued to have hits on the adult contemporary charts. This album was re-released with bonus tracks.

Spirit is an album by guitarist Preston Reed, released in 2007. It was the third release on Reed's own label.

Spirit is a departure from Reed's usual percussive style and focuses more on the style of jazz ballads.

Spirit is This Condition's third EP, a five-track album recorded in April 2010. It was released on July 27, 2010 through online retailers and digital music stores (iTunes), as well as a physical release through the band's online merch store. Recorded in Boonton, NJ's The Pilot Studio with producer Rob Freeman, whom the band had worked with on three singles in 2009, the album features five new tracks, including "Go" and "Stay Right Here".

Spirit is the second studio album by Indonesian rock band J-Rocks, released on 2007 in Indonesia by Aquarius Musikindo.

Spirit is an untethered jailbreak for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad running iOS 3.1.2 through 3.2. It was developed by Wii homebrew developer comex. Spirit allows users to install software not approved by Apple on their iDevices. It is available for the Windows, Linux, and Mac platforms. It continues the extremely straightforward tradition of the jailbreaking program blackra1n's user interface, which offers only a single function to jailbreak the iDevice. For Linux, the user executes a simple command after compiling, such as /home/user/spirit.

Spirit is the tenth studio album of Japanese singer-songwriter Hitomi. The album was formally released on April 27, 2011 under the independent label Maximum 10.

Spirit features production from Advanced Alternative Media, making this the first time that they work with a Japanese artist. Other western artists, like Rivers Cuomo from Weezer, Chuck Comeau and Pierre Bouvier from Simple Plan, and Gabe Saporta from Cobra Starship collaborated in the album as well.

Spirit is a 2012 Malayalam satirical film written and directed by Ranjith. The film primarily focuses on the increasing habits of alcoholism in Kerala. It stars Mohanlal in the lead roles while Kaniha, Shankar Ramakrishnan, Madhu, Lena Abhilash, Nandu, Kalpana and Thilakan play notable supporting roles. The film released on 14 June to overwhelming positive critical reviews. It completed 100 days of theatrical run in Kerala which was a major success at the box office.

According to the director, "The movie does not, in any way, advocate or proscribe alcohol. Spirit discusses the subject and examines what happens when a person, however intelligent, falls prey to an addiction, any addiction for that matter."

Spirit is a 2002 bronze sculpture depicting John Denver by American sculptor Sue DiCicco. Originally commissioned by and located at the Windstar Foundation, the bronze is now located at the Colorado Music Hall of Fame at Red Rocks. It was cast at Artworks Foundry in Berkeley, California, and was named "Spirit" by Rolland Smith, who served as master of ceremonies at the unveiling in October 2002. The statue was financed by Denver's fans.

Spirit is the third album by Finnish glam metal band Reckless Love, released on 2 September 2013 through Spinefarm Records / Universal Music. The album peaked at No. 3 on Finland Albums Top 50 music chart.

Spirit was a Contemporary Christian music radio station on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 66 and DISH Network channel 6066.

As of 2004, Scott Lindy, director of country programming for Sirius, was overseeing operations for the station. On November 12, 2008, Spirit was eliminated from the Sirius lineup and has been replaced with XM's The Message as part of a restructuring by Sirius XM Radio.

SPIRIT (born December 20, 1975) is an American television and radio personality, licensed therapist, author, and public speaker. Spirit first gained the attention of a national audience with appearances on The Tyra Banks Show in 2008.

Spirit, also known as Iluka, is an residential skyscraper currently under construction on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. Upon completion, it will become the tallest building in Australia to roof, and the second tallest building overall (surpassed by the nearby Q1).

Proposed in 2015, the project was developed by Forise Investments and designed by DBI Design Pty Ltd. With a height of , Spirit will become the second-tallest building in Australia overall, behind the nearby Q1, as well as the tallest building to roof, surpassing the Eureka Tower in Melbourne by 50 centimetres.

Spirit will comprise 693 residential apartments, across 89 levels, and will further include 6 basement levels. The AUD$1.2 billion skyscraper received planning approval by the Gold Coast City council in September 2015, with construction commencing as early as March 2016, and finish by 2019.

Lee Da-yoon (born July 1, 1996), better known as Spirit is a Korean League of Legends player who is the jungler for Fnatic of the European League of Legends Championship Series (EU LCS). He has also played for MVP Blue, Samsung Galaxy Blue, and Team WE. Spirit joined fnatic on December 6, 2015 along with Noh “Gamsu” Yeong-jin.