- spirit
- noun1 mind or feelingsADJECTIVE▪ human▪
It is a testimony to the triumph of the human spirit.
PREPOSITION▪ in spirit▪I will be with you in spirit.
2 spirits moraleADJECTIVE▪ flagging (esp. BrE)VERB + SPIRITS▪ keep up, lift, raise▪We sang songs to keep our spirits up.
▪ revive▪ break, dampen▪A string of defeats has failed to dampen the team's spirits.
SPIRITS + VERB▪ lift, risePHRASES▪ in good, high, low, poor, etc. spirits▪She isn't in the best of spirits today.
▪My mother was in excellent spirits.
3 personADJECTIVE▪ guiding, leading (esp. BrE), moving▪She was a guiding spirit in primary education.
▪ generous▪ mean▪ brave, proud▪ free, independent▪ kindred▪He found kindred spirits in the peace movement.
4 courage/livelinessADJECTIVE▪ great, tremendous (esp. BrE)▪ adventurous, competitive, fighting, indomitable, pioneer, pioneering▪the indomitable American spirit
VERB + SPIRIT▪ be full of, have▪She has plenty of fighting spirit.
▪ display, show▪ breakPREPOSITION▪ with spirit▪He sang with great spirit.
PHRASES▪ broken in spirit▪They tortured him until he was broken in spirit.
5 feelings of loyaltyADJECTIVE▪ community, party, public, teamVERB + SPIRIT▪ have▪ develop, foster, promote6 attitude/moodADJECTIVE▪ right▪They have the right spirit!
▪ essential, genuine, true▪ carefree▪ democratic, revolutionary▪ creative▪ entrepreneurial▪ can-do (informal, esp. AmE)▪ Christmas, festive (esp. BrE), holiday (esp. AmE)VERB + SPIRIT▪ have▪ enter into, get into▪I was just getting to the spirit of things when the party suddenly ended.
▪ bring▪They brought the spirit of carnival to their concerts.
▪ capture, embody, reflect, represent▪That song really captures the spirit of the times.
▪She embodies the spirit of revolution.
PREPOSITION▪ in a spirit of▪Both sides have come together in a spirit of goodwill.
▪They are all working together in a spirit of cooperation.
▪ spirit of▪a spirit of adventure
PHRASES▪ be closer in spirit to sth, be similar in spirit to sth▪ be faithful to the spirit of sth, be true to the spirit of sth▪The movie is true to the spirit of the book.
▪ a generosity of spirit▪She exudes a warmth and generosity of spirit.
▪ in the right spirit▪ the spirit of the age, the spirit of the times▪ the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of the season▪I'm trying to get in the spirit of the holiday season.
7 real/intended meaning of a rule, an agreement, etc.VERB + SPIRIT▪ obey▪ be against, be contrary to, go against, violate▪an edict that violates the spirit of the Geneva Convention
PHRASES▪ the spirit of the law▪The referee should try to obey the spirit as well as the letter of the law.
8 soul/ghostADJECTIVE▪ ancestral▪ evil, malevolent▪ restless▪Owls were believed to be restless spirits who had returned to earth.
VERB + SPIRIT▪ conjure up, contact, invoke, summon, summon up▪ exorcize, ward off▪She slept with a cross under the pillow to ward off evil spirits.
▪ be possessed bySPIRIT + VERB▪ live on▪Many people believe the spirit lives on after death.
▪ move sb (often figurative)▪Make a donation to the charity if the spirit moves you.
SPIRIT + NOUN▪ guide▪My spirit guide cares for me and protects me.
▪ worldPHRASES▪ body, mind and spirit▪healing for body, mind and spirit
▪ the Holy Spirit▪ the spirits of the dead9 (esp. BrE) (usually spirits) strong alcoholic drink… OF SPIRITS▪ bottle, measure (BrE)▪a single measure of spirits
VERB + SPIRITS▪ drink
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
