spirits
part of speech
noun (plural of spirit: a spirit, spirits)
meaning for a pupil
1) A person's mood or feelings: in high spirits (happy), in low spirits (sad). tree →
2) Ghosts, or beings without bodies in stories and beliefs. tree →
3) Strong alcoholic drinks like whisky, vodka, gin and rum. tree →
4) Liquids such as white spirit or methylated spirits used for cleaning or fuel. tree →
5) Courage and energy. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Here it means the inner lives or souls of living beings, or ghosts called up by mediums. Proverbs says the LORD "weighs the spirits", meaning He judges what is in the heart. Isaiah warns people not to seek ghosts and familiar spirits instead of God. Interpretation: Moses called God "the God of the spirits of all flesh," which tradition reads as God knowing every person's heart. The Torah forbids turning to ghosts and familiar spirits, and Isaiah says people should seek their God, not the dead. In the primary lessons: In stories spirits are ghosts or magic beings. In everyday life «keep your spirits up» means stay cheerful. In safety lessons, spirits (strong alcohol) are not for children, and white spirit or methylated spirits are poisonous and burn easily. Phrases: in high spirits, raise someone's spirits, lift your spirits, team spirit.
examples
- 'Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, (Torah NUM.27.16, JPS 1917) tree →
- Turn ye not unto the ghosts, nor unto familiar spirits; seek them not out, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. (Torah LEV.19.31, JPS 1917) tree →
- And they fell upon their faces, and said: 'O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt Thou be wroth with all the congregation?' (Torah NUM.16.22, JPS 1917) tree →
- All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. (Writings PRO.16.2, JPS 1917) tree →
- And when they shall say unto you: 'Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead (Prophets ISA.8.19, JPS 1917) tree →
- And the spirit of Egypt shall be made empty within it; and I will make void the counsel thereof; and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the whisperers, and to the ghosts, and to the familiar spirits. (Prophets ISA.19.3, JPS 1917) tree →
- The children were in high spirits on the last day of school. tree →
- A hot drink raised our spirits. tree →
- The old house was said to be full of spirits. tree →
- Spirits are much stronger than beer or wine. tree →
- Dad cleaned the brushes with white spirit. tree →
- Keep your spirits up — we're nearly there! tree →
- "You seem to be in good spirits." tree →
note
Spirits in the sense of mood is plural: high spirits. A spirit level is a builder's tool with a bubble to check that something is flat. Methylated spirits and white spirit are dangerous to drink.
In the corpora
- 'Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
- All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
- Bon Odori is a calm circle dance at Japan's summer Obon festival, which honours the spirits of ancestors.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «spirits» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.