Part 657

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.

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.

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Syn. -- Life; ardor; energy; fire; courage; animatioon; cheerfulness; vivacity; enterprise.

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.

Spir"it*al*ly (?), adv.[L. spiritalis belonging to breathing.] By means of the breath. [Obs.] Holder.

Spir"it*ed, a. 1. Animated or possessed by a spirit. [Obs.] "So talked the spirited, sly snake." Milton.

2. Animated; full of life or vigor; lively; full of spirit or fire; as, a spirited oration; a spirited answer.

Spirited is much used in composition; as in high- spirited, low-spirited, mean-spirited, etc.

Syn. -- Lively; vivacious; animated; ardent; active; bold; courageous.

-- Spir"it*ed*ly, adv. -- Spir"it*ed*ness, n.

Spir"it*ful (?), a. Full of spirit; spirited. [R.]

The spiritful and orderly life of our own grown men.