a. [f. L. spīritu-s + -OUS, or ad. F. spiritueux (16th c.), Sp. and Pg. espirituoso.]
1. Spirited, animated, lively, vivacious. Now rare.
1599. B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Rev., III. ii. Hed. Well, I am resolu’d what Ile doe. Ana. What, my good spirituous Sparke?
1703. J. Savage, Lett. Antients, xlv. 109. The Greeks, who are a spirituous and wise People, not to be us’d as the barbarous Nations are by their Tyrants.
1709. Phil. Trans., XXVII. 74. A very Vivacious and Spirituous Animal.
1751. Eliza Heywood, Betsy Thoughtless, II. 10. Her once gay and spirituous behaviour … was now become all dull and gloomy.
1888. Doughty, Arabia Deserta, I. 593. The Emir in his spirituous humour, and haughty familiar manners.
2. Of the nature of, having the properties of, spirit; containing spirit or volatile principle in a natural state. (Freq. in 17th cent.)
1605. Timme, Quersit., I. vii. 30. Vineger,… in regard of … that most thin, spirituous, sower essence of salt, doe pierce into the most inward parts.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 88. If the matter be spirituous, and the cloud compact, the noise is great and terrible.
1694. W. Wotton, Anc. & Mod. Learn. (1697), 239. The Fæculencies are separated from the more spirituous Parts, and by their Weight sink to the Bottom.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 302. Though the grounds are very rich, the juices of the grass are from thence less spirituous.
1737. Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1757), II. 185. Oats and Beans is a more warm and spirituous Feed than Hay.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., II. xvii. 264. It is thin and clear like water, though somewhat more spirituous and viscous.
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 306. Vegetable substances are always resinous, or oily, or spirituous, when the oxygen which they contain is to the hydrogen in a smaller proportion than in water.
fig. 1673. Dryden, Marr. à la Mode, II. i. 30.
| Fancy will every touch, and glance improve; | |
| And draw the most spirituous parts of Love. |
1705. J. Dunton, Life & Errors, vii. (1818), I. 275. My happiness was too spirituous and fine to continue long.
1709. Mrs. Manley, Secret Mem. (1720), III. 29. That little valuable spirituous Particle [sc. sincerity], that animated the Whole!
3. Containing or impregnated with spirit or alcohol obtained by distillation; containing an infusion of alcohol; alcoholic, ardent.
1681. trans. Belon’s Myst. Physick, Introd. 10. Medicine must be invited…, by refined and spirituous Medicaments, to procure Preservation.
1694. Salmon, Bate’s Dispens. (1713), 46/2. Cover and lute it, and distil S. A. So will you have a spirituous Water.
1742. trans. Algarotti’s Newton’s The., II. 194. They were obliged to cut the most spirituous Wine with a Hatchet.
1767. Gooch, Treat. Wounds, I. 246. Spirituous, warm, subtile medicines are to be used.
1813. J. Thomson, Lect. Inflam., 605. Spirituous and resinous substances have long been in repute for the cure of burns.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., vii. § 2. 503. The spirituous varnishes dry the most rapidly.
1867. J. Hogg, Microsc., I. ii. 142. Dropping into it carefully … a spirituous solution of iodine.
b. Freq. in spirituous liquor(s).
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, in Aliments, etc. I. 245. Strong Waters or spirituous Liquors contract and harden the solid Parts most of all.
1764. Burn, Poor Laws, 242. As the laws stand, a licence from the officers of excise alone, for retailing spirituous liquors, is not sufficient.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 83. When the instrument is immersed in spirituous liquor.
1836. Thirlwall, Greece, xiv. II. 197. The modern Tartars extract a spirituous liquor from the milk of their mares.
1862. Trollope, N. Amer., I. xvii. 377. No wine or spirituous liquors may be used.
4. Of or belonging to spirit or alcohol; like or resembling that of spirit.
1667. Phil. Trans., II. 496. The Thames-water … in eight months time … acquires a Spirituous quality, so as to burn like Spirit of Wine.
1699. Evelyn, Acetaria (1729), 167. Spirituous and active Force to animate and revive every Faculty and Part.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 789. When this sap was left exposed to the air … it became milky [and] … acquired a spirituous smell and taste.
1862. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org. (ed. 2), 155. Wood spirit is a limpid, inflammable, colourless liquid, of a penetrating spirituous odour.
1867. F. H. Ludlow, Little Briggs, 218. The spirituous soupçon which tingles through the siropy flavors of an arrack punch.
b. Accomplished or carried out by means of spirit or alcohol.
1800. trans. Lagrange’s Chem., II. 167. There are reckoned to be three kinds of fermentation: spirituous, acetous, and putrid.
† 5. = SPIRITUAL a. 4. Obs.
1662. R. Mathew, Unl. Alch., 60. When thy now rotting body is destroyed, thou again shalt receive a spirituous body.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 785. The Irrational Part or Life thereof, is Separable only from this Gross Body…; but hath (after Death) a Spirituous or Aiery Body.
1727. De Foe, Hist. Appar., iv. (1840), 30. Such inhabitants as are spirituous, and invisible.
1745. Eliza Heywood, Female Spect., No. 15 (1748), III. 120. As great an enemy as indolence is to our spirituous part, activity in things unfit is yet much more so.
† 6. Spiritual, in various senses. Obs.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm. (1634), IV. 7. God gives not his people … valour, and then leaves them to a spirituous quarrelsomenesse.
1712. W. King, Joan of Hedington, Pref., Wks. 1776, III. 11. She seems spirituous, and … not disinclinable to virtuous courses.
1727. Warburton, Prodigies & Miracles, I. 54. What then must we expect from this spirituous Imposture; which persuades the credulous Reader that the Soul of History is here disingaged from the unweildy … Carcasses of Chronicle and Annal?
Hence Spirituously adv., † in a spirited manner.
1751. Eliza Heywood, Betsy Thoughtless, IV. 52. ‘Bless me, madam!’ cried Mrs. Munden, spirituously, ‘would your ladyship have me give up … that slender pittance?’
