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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.
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 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, 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.
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