spirit

If someone tells you you have a sagging spirit, that means your life-force seems to be missing.

Spirit comes from the Latin word for "breath," and like breath, spirit is considered a fundamental part of being alive. Some people think of the spirit as a presence that's separate from the body, which is why spirit is another word for ghost. We also use spirit to mean "the general mood or intent," like when you tell your former enemy, "I approach you in the spirit of kindness."

Definitions of spirit
  1. noun
    the vital principle or animating force within living things
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    types:
    psyche, soul
    the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
    ghost
    the visible disembodied soul of a dead person
    type of:
    life principle, vital principle
    a hypothetical force to which the functions and qualities peculiar to living things are sometimes ascribed
  2. noun
    any incorporeal supernatural being that can become visible (or audible) to human beings
    synonyms: disembodied spirit
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    types:
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    control
    a spiritual agency that is assumed to assist the medium during a seance
    evil spirit
    a spirit tending to cause harm
    banshee, banshie
    (Irish folklore) a female spirit who wails to warn of impending death
    djinn, djinni, djinny, genie, jinnee, jinni
    (Islam) an invisible spirit mentioned in the Koran and believed by Muslims to inhabit the earth and influence mankind by appearing in the form of humans or animals
    familiar, familiar spirit
    a spirit (usually in animal form) that acts as an assistant to a witch or wizard
    peri
    (Persian folklore) a supernatural being descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is done
    apparition, fantasm, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, specter, spectre
    a ghostly appearing figure
    presence
    an invisible spiritual being felt to be nearby
    kachina
    a deified spirit of the Pueblo people
    numen
    a spirit believed to inhabit an object or preside over a place (especially in ancient Roman religion)
    python
    a soothsaying spirit or a person who is possessed by such a spirit
    silvan, sylvan
    a spirit that lives in or frequents the woods
    thunderbird
    (mythology) the spirit of thunder and lightning believed by some Native Americans to take the shape of a great bird
    zombi, zombi spirit, zombie, zombie spirit
    (voodooism) a spirit or supernatural force that reanimates a dead body
    bad fairy
    a fairy that tends to cause harm
    bogey, bogie, bogy
    an evil spirit
    daemon, daimon, demon, devil, fiend
    an evil supernatural being
    cacodaemon, cacodemon
    an evil spirit
    ghoul
    an evil spirit or ghost
    goblin, hob, hobgoblin
    (folklore) a small grotesque supernatural creature that makes trouble for human beings
    kelpie, kelpy
    (Scottish folklore) water spirit in the form of a horse that likes to drown its riders
    lamia, vampire
    (folklore) a corpse that rises at night to drink the blood of the living
    shaitan, shaytan
    (Islam) a rebellious jinni who leads men astray
    eblis
    (Islam) the principal evil jinni in Islamic mythology
    Flying Dutchman
    the captain of a phantom ship (the Flying Dutchman) who was condemned to sail against the wind until Judgment Day
    type of:
    spiritual being, supernatural being
    an incorporeal being believed to have powers to affect the course of human events
  3. noun
    the state of a person's emotions (especially with regard to pleasure or dejection)
    “he was in good spirits”
    “his spirit rose”
    synonyms: emotional state
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    types:
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    embarrassment
    the state of being embarrassed (usually by some financial inadequacy)
    ecstasy, exaltation, rapture, raptus, transport
    a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion
    gratification, satisfaction
    state of being gratified or satisfied
    felicity, happiness
    state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
    state
    a state of depression or agitation
    unhappiness
    state characterized by emotions ranging from mild discontentment to deep grief
    quality of life
    your personal satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with the cultural or intellectual conditions under which you live (as distinct from material comfort)
    comfort
    satisfaction or physical well-being provided by a person or thing
    beatification, beatitude, blessedness
    a state of supreme happiness
    embitterment
    the state of being embittered
    sadness, sorrow, sorrowfulness
    the state of being sad
    radiance
    an attractive combination of good health and happiness
    type of:
    emotion
    any strong feeling
  4. noun
    a fundamental emotional and activating principle determining one's character
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    types:
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    braveness, bravery, courage, courageousness
    a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
    cowardice, cowardliness
    the trait of lacking courage
    heart, mettle, nerve, spunk
    the courage to carry on
    gallantry, heroism, valiance, valiancy, valor, valorousness, valour
    the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)
    dauntlessness, intrepidity
    resolute courageousness
    Dutch courage
    courage resulting from intoxication
    stoutheartedness
    the trait of having a courageous spirit
    fearlessness
    the trait of feeling no fear
    cravenness
    meanspirited cowardice
    fearfulness
    the trait of being afraid
    dastardliness
    despicable cowardice
    fortitude
    strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage
    type of:
    character, fiber, fibre
    the inherent complex of attributes that determines a person's moral and ethical actions and reactions
  5. noun
    an inclination or tendency of a certain kind
    synonyms: heart
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    type of:
    disposition, temperament
    your usual mood
  6. noun
    animation and energy in action or expression
    synonyms: life, liveliness, sprightliness
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    types:
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    pertness
    quality of being lively and confident
    airiness, delicacy
    lightness in movement or manner
    alacrity, briskness, smartness
    liveliness and eagerness
    energy, muscularity, vigor, vigour, vim
    an imaginative lively style (especially style of writing)
    elan
    enthusiastic and assured vigor and liveliness
    esprit
    liveliness of mind or spirit
    breeziness, jauntiness
    a breezy liveliness
    buoyancy, effervescence, irrepressibility
    irrepressible liveliness and good spirit
    high-spiritedness
    exuberant liveliness
    ebullience, enthusiasm, exuberance
    eager enjoyment or approval
    ginger, pep, peppiness
    liveliness and energy
    verve, vitality
    an energetic style
    vivacity
    high spirits and animation
    mettlesomeness
    courageous high-spiritedness
    lyricism
    unrestrained and exaggerated enthusiasm
    madness, rabidity, rabidness
    unrestrained excitement or enthusiasm
    type of:
    animation, brio, invigoration, spiritedness, vivification
    quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous
  7. noun
    the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people
    synonyms: feel, feeling, flavor, flavour, look, smell, tone
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    types:
    Hollywood
    a flashy vulgar tone or atmosphere believed to be characteristic of the American film industry
    Zeitgeist
    the spirit of the time; the spirit characteristic of an age or generation
    type of:
    ambiance, ambience, atmosphere
    a particular environment or surrounding influence
  8. noun
    the intended meaning of a communication
    synonyms: intent, purport
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    type of:
    import, meaning, significance, signification
    the message that is intended or expressed or signified
  9. verb
    infuse with spirit
    “The company spirited him up”
    synonyms: inspirit, spirit up
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    type of:
    animate, enliven, invigorate, liven, liven up
    make lively
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