spiritus) but 'is without significance for earlier periods'. Distinction between 'soul' and 'spirit' (as 'seat of emotions') became current in Christian terminology (such as Greek psykhe vs. 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.'ДЄccording to Barnhart and OED, originally in English mainly from passages in Vulgate, where the Latin word translates Greek pneuma and Hebrew ruah. 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.

This also is the sense in spirit level (1768).

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. Best online English dictionaries for children, with kid-friendly definitions, images, and animations. in alchemy as 'volatile substance distillate ' from c. 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.'ДЇrom late 14c. 1500 as 'a nature, character' sense of 'essential principle of something' (in a non-theological context, as in Spirit of St. Meaning 'supernatural immaterial creature angel, demon an apparition, invisible corporeal being of an airy nature' is attested from mid-14c. But de Vaan says 'Possibly an onomatopoeic formation imitating the sound of breathing. 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,' perhaps from PIE *(s)peis- 'to blow' (source also of Old Church Slavonic pisto 'to play on the flute').

Def conspire