spir·it1 /ˈspɪrɪt/ ●●● S2 W2 noun1 character 性格 [singular, uncountableU]RRMIND the qualities that make someone live the way they do, and make them different from other people 精神,心靈in spiritI’m 85, but I still feel young in spirit. 我 85 歲了,但心依然感覺年輕。
independent/proud/free etc spirit (=a person with a particular type of character) 獨立/驕傲/自由等的人She is a strong and independent spirit. 她是一個堅強獨立的人。
→ kindred spirit at kindred2(1) 2 HAPPY/SAD 快樂的/悲傷的spirits [plural]FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETCMOOD the way someone feels at a particular time, for example if they are happy or sad 心境,情緒,興致 → moodbe in good/high spirits (=be excited and happy) 興高采烈Cooper was still in high spirits after winning the race. 塞巴依然處於比賽獲勝後的高昂情緒中。
His spirits were so low (=he was so sad) that he refused to answer his phone. 他情緒非常低落,連電話也不願接。
raise/lift somebody’s spirits (=make someone happier) 振奮某人的情緒The warm morning sun lifted our spirits. 早晨溫暖的陽光使我們精神爲之一振。
She wrote poetry while she was in the hospital to keep her spirits up (=keep happy). 她住院的時候寫寫詩,使自己保持愉快心情。
somebody’s spirits rise/lift/sink (=they become more or less happy) 某人高興起來/情緒低落My spirits sank when I saw the mess they’d left. 看見他們留下的爛攤子,我的情緒一下子低落了。
keep ... spirits up• He had a strong sense of humour, and kept his spirits up.• During the war years, it helped keep our spirits up and we need it again now.• I told Tansy that she must keep her spirits up, that Rose might be needing her. 3 soul 靈魂 [countableC]RR the part of someone that you cannot see, that consists of the qualities that make up their character, which many people believe continues to live after the person has died 靈魂 → soulAlthough Laurie is dead, I can feel his spirit with me. 勞裏雖然已經過世,但我還能感覺到他的靈魂和我在一起。
4 no body 幽靈 [countableC]ROGHOST a creature without a physical body that some people believe exists, such as an angel or a dead person, who has returned to this world and has strange or magical powers 精靈;鬼魂; 幽靈 → ghost 5 determination 決心 [uncountableU]DETERMINED courage, energy, and determination – used to show approval 志氣;勇氣;決心〔含褒義〕Sandra is small, but she makes up for it with great spirit. 桑德拉身材瘦小,但她巨大的勇氣彌補了這點不足。
a young team with strong fighting spirit 一支鬥志昂揚的年輕隊伍
When they took away his freedom, they broke his spirit (=made him lose his courage). 他們剝奪了他的人身自由就等於挫傷了他的銳氣。
6 attitude 態度 [singular, uncountableU]ATTITUDE the attitude that you have towards something or while you are doing something 心態,態度You’ve got to approach this meeting in the right spirit. 你一定要以正確的態度來對待這次會議。
spirit ofthe spirit of cooperation between the two sides 雙方的合作態度
7. team/community/public etc spirit UNITEa strong feeling of belonging to a particular group and wanting to help them 團隊/社區/公益等精神 8 typical qualities 典型特質TYPICAL [countableC usually singular] the set of ideas, beliefs, feelings etc that are typical of a particular period in history, a place, or a group of people 〔某一特定歷史時期、地方或群體的〕精神,風氣spirit ofTourism has not destroyed the spirit of Bali. 觀光旅遊還沒有破壞巴厘島的地方特色。
the spirit of the age/timesHis beliefs conflicted with the spirit of the age. 他的信念與當時的時代精神發生了沖突。
9 in spirit THINK ABOUTWITHif you say you will be somewhere in spirit or with someone in spirit, you will not be with them but will be thinking about them 在内心裏,在精神上I can’t come to your wedding, but I’ll be there in spirit. 我不能來參加你們的婚禮,但我的心將會和你們在一起。
10 get/enter into the spirit (of something) TAKE PART/BE INVOLVEDto start to feel as happy, excited etc as the people around you 融入到…的氛圍中去Judith couldn’t really enter into the spirit of the occasion. 朱迪思無法完全融入那歡樂氣氛中去。
get/enter into the spirit (of something)• Meanwhile, the audience gets into the spirit of the occasion, courtesy of comedian, Bobby Bragg from Banbury.• A good collie enters into the spirit of the hunt, up to a point.• Thomas himself got into the spirit.• Knowing who was servant and who mistress, I entered into the spirit of the farce.• It all began about 15 years ago when Pat Jackson got into the spirit and decided to decorate her house.• Flagellation and other exotic practices formed part of its creed and Rasputin entered into the spirit of these with enthusiasm.• The children are making decorations to get into the spirit of the season.• He tried hard to get into the spirit of the thing.• Mercer was entering into the spirit of things, Bambi also but more coolly. 11 intention 目的 [uncountableU] the meaning or qualities that someone intended something to have, especially the meaning that a law or rule was intended to have 〔尤指法律或規則的〕精神,本質Thoreau believed that his actions were in the spirit of American institutions. 梭羅相信他的行爲是符合美國傳統精神的。
Miller’s actions may not be actually illegal, but they have violated the spirit of the law. 米勒的行爲本身不一定犯法,但違反了法律的精神。
→ the letter of the law at letter1(4) 13 drink 酒 [countableC usually plural] b) British EnglishBrEDHC liquid such as alcohol, used for cleaning 〔用於清潔的〕酒精 15. when/as the spirit moves you WANTwhen you feel that you want to do something 要是願意的話,如果有興趣
16. the spirit is willing (but the flesh is weak) used when saying that you want to do something, but you are too tired or do not feel strong enough – often used humorously 心裏固然願意(身體卻很羸弱),心有餘而力不足〔常爲幽默用法〕 n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: adjectiveshigh/good (=used when saying that someone is happy and excited)The players were all in high spirits.
low/flagging (=used when saying that someone is sad)She was tired and her spirits were low.
verbslift/raise/revive somebody’s spirits (=make them feel happier)A brisk walk helped to lift my spirits.
keep somebody’s spirits up (=keep them feeling happy)He wrote home often, trying to keep his family’s spirits up.
dampen somebody’s spirits (=make them feel less happy)They refused to let the rain dampen their spirits.
somebody’s spirits rise/lift/soar (=they start feeling happier)Her spirits rose as they left the ugliness of London behind.
somebody’s spirits sink (=they start feeling less happy)His spirits sank at the prospect.