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spriten.Etymology: < Anglo-Norman esprite, Anglo-Norman and Middle French esprit, variants of Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French espirit , esperit spirit n. In early use essentially an etymological doublet of spirit n.; in later use largely distinguished in sense 3.The δ. forms arose as (purely graphic) spelling variants of the γ. forms, by analogy with the range of spellings shown by words of similar sound, such as might n.1, bright adj., etc.; compare plight n.1 beside plight n.2 and plight n.3, and right n. IV. beside rite n. In 17th- and 18th-cent. verse sp'rit at α. forms is frequently employed as an alternative to spirit n. for metrical reasons. 1. the mind > mental capacity > spirituality > mind, soul, spirit, heart > [noun] α. 1340 (1866) 241 Oure lhord zayþ þet þe poure of sprit byeþ y-blissed. c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1879) l. 2069 Ffor whiche myn sprit goth to do me shame. c1480 (a1400) St. Lawrence 450 in W. M. Metcalfe (1896) I. 415 Fore contryt spryt euir ȝet was to my god thankful sacrifice. 1565 T. Stapleton f. 122 We see how farre the faith of the first vj. C. yeares, and the sprit of Protestants do agree. 1605 sig. Ev This should not be mong men of vertuous sprit Pay trybute thou, and receiue peace and writ. β. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) l. 15667 Þof þe spreit ai redi be.c1480 (a1400) St. George 796 in W. M. Metcalfe (1896) II. 199 As he hyr þis [had] talde, þe spret vn-to god scho ȝald.1526 Acts xvii. 16 His sprete was moved in hym.1608 T. Hudson tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Ivdith ii. 38 in J. Sylvester (new ed.) Whose liuing spreete Reuiuing spreds, and through all things doth fleete.1637 A. Gardyne sig. B6v Then Iacob in his Bed pull'd vp his feet Divinly ended and gave vp his spreet.a1657 W. Mure (1898) I. 34 Then happie nimph, quhoise spreit in peace repoises.γ. c1415 (c1395) G. Chaucer (Lansd.) (1874) Prol. l. 727 Colours of rethorik bene me to queynte My sprite feleþ nouȝt of suche Matier.?1519 W. Atkinson tr. (de Worde) i. v. sig. A.v To rede the scripture with as great feruour of spryte as it was receyued firste.1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens 229 It is profitable for those that are..troubled in sprite or minde.1768 T. Gray Descent of Odin in 89 Who thus afflicts my troubled sprite?1845 S. Judd iii. 448 So speaks my sprite.1928 R. Campbell ii. 53 As she bent above her chosen Knight A lovely fragrance ravished all his sprite.δ. 1563 B. Googe sig. C.ii I..sought the chief[e]st means I could, to helpe my weryed spryght.1623 W. Drummond 32 Of this Light, Eternall, double, kindled was thy Spright Eternallie.1700 J. Dryden Chaucer's Cock & Fox in 227 You groan,..As something had disturb'd your noble Spright.1884 J. Payne tr. VIII. 39 Will she yet quench any thirst and heal the sickness of my spright?the mind > [noun] > as seat of action or feeling c1415 (c1385) G. Chaucer (Lansd.) (1868) l. 1369 Than wolde he wepe..So feble eke were his spretes [c1405 Hengwrt spiritz] and he lowe. ?a1450 in H. Sandison (1913) 123 (MED) My harte dyd reioysse..My dull sprytes receuyd consolacyoun. c1475 in (1913) 130 310 (MED) Then herde I a noyse celestiall, Reioysyng my sprytes inwardly. 1488 (c1478) Hary (Adv.) (1968–9) xii. l. 176 He agayn in greiff him grippyt sayr Quhill spretis failȝeid, ner. 1567 T. Drant tr. Horace Pistles in tr. Horace sig. Gvij That poet..That can stere vp my passions, Or quicke my sprytes at all. c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme cxix. 17 in (1998) II. 200 I the pleasures of my sprightes Will vnto thy doctrine bind. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iv. i. 143 Come Sisters, cheere we vp his sprights, And shew the best of our delights. 1629 S. Austin 78 That Sun, Whose beames ere-while so wondrously begun To glad thy drooping sprites. the world > people > person > [noun] > as having character or qualities ?1507 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen (Rouen) in (1998) I. 51 I spittit quhen I saw That superspendit euill spreit spvlȝeit of all vertu. c1588 in T. G. Law (1901) 253/1 Souber and quyet spreites, who lyked to grund them selfes upon the assured rok of the kirk. 1614 in L. B. Taylor (1942) I. 120 I fear the smalnes of his stipend salbe ane hinder to all gude sprittis. a1634 A. Gardyne (1878) 137 No brainsick-heads was harbour'd in thy houss,..Thy noble nature..Could nought allow such lauless spritts a place. 1844 B. Disraeli II. iv. xii. 167 He generally contrived..to steal down with some congenial sprites to the magical and illumined chamber [sc. the billiard-room]. the mind > emotion > pride > self-assertiveness > [noun] the mind > emotion > courage > spirit > [noun] the mind > emotion > courage > bravery or boldness > [noun] the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [noun] > mental or moral vigour the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [noun] > vigour or liveliness c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece xiv. vi. f. ccviii/2 Thay ruschit pertely with new spreit and curage on thair ennimes. 1607 S. Rowlands (Hunterian Club) 7 This man compos'd of courage, full of sprite, Of hard adventures, and of great designs. a1687 C. Cotton (1689) 175 From thence we set forth with more mettle and spright. 1715 J. Phillips i. i. 2 Wuth what muckle deal of Spreet the General talks. 1922 27 May 13 The redstart, for colour and for spright, is an exquisite among exquisites at this season. 1988 R. Vettese 20 Land whaur gien choice the people turnt aboot, wrung oot o spreit like onie saft cloot. the world > the supernatural > deity > Christian God > nature or attributes of God > [noun] > active essence or essential power a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng (Harl.) l. 4721 (MED) He sagh..þurgh þe spryt Þat þer shuld come veniaunce. ?a1475 (1922) 60 (MED) He xal send þe sprytt to his discyplis. 1526 Eph. iv. 30 Greve not the holy sprete off God. a1538 T. Starkey (1989) 95 By hys holy spryte from whom..commyth al gudnes. c1600 Forman in f. 143 b Governe me with thy holy sprite. 1655 J. Heydon 37 The father, son, and holy sprite, Though three in persons are one God unite. 1686 A. Begg (single sheet) And still implore his grace, That his good Sprit may us conduct, Into our Heavenly place. 1777 Poem in J. Adamson p. xiii To Father, Son, and Sp'rit, be endless praise. 3. the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > [noun] the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > fairy or elf > [noun] γ. tr. Palladius (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. l. 935 Ffor eddris, spritis, monstris, thyng of drede. a1475 J. Fortescue (Laud) (1885) 121 Wherfore the holy sprites and angels..haue more poiar than we. a1513 R. Fabyan (1516) II. f. xviii Fyry Dragons, and Sprytys were seen fleynge in the Ayer. 1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria i. ix. f. 45 A remedye ageynst walkyng sprites. 1675 C. Cotton 51 Where must I lye anights? For I am monstrous fraid of Sprites. 1728 E. Young (ed. 2) v. 509 In vain the cock has summon'd sprites away, She walks at noon. a1831 H. Mackenzie in R. Burns (1836) V. 407 ‘Nae eastlan' blast,’ the sprite replied. 1873 G. C. Davies xiv. 113 Fays and water sprites. 1910 1 Jan. 17 Now why should two boys chase a sprite Among the withered sedges? 1991 20 Oct. ii. 89/2 Russian folk tales—resonant with luminous green dragons, wood sprites and witches. 2017 (Nexis) 19 July 39 16 different party themes for boys and girls, from teddy bears' picnics to dinosaurs, pirates, sprites, fairies and pixies. α. c1450 (a1325) (BL Add. 36983) p. 1656 Iesus after his fastyng long Was temtid wiþ þe sprit [of] wrong.c1540 (?a1400) (2002) f. 67 I will tell..How sprittis in hom spake to qwho þat spirre wold.1565 T. Stapleton f. 85 The whole churche..by no strength of wicked sprits..can be ouerthrowen.1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden i. 530 I wot not what sprits and fearefull apparitions.1638 H. Adamson 12 All the race sprung of Eliza Mure, With witches did consult and sprits conjure.1724 A. Ramsay Monk & Miller's Wife in (new ed.) 75 There's mony a Sp'rit that's no a Deel, That constantly around us wheel.β. c1450 (?a1400) (Ashm.) l. 4779 He was sodanly sesid & slane with a sprete.1488 (c1478) Hary (Adv.) (1968–9) xii. l. 1262 Quhar art thow, spreyt? Ansuer, sa god the sawe.1526 Mark vi. f. liij They supposed yt had bene a sprete, and cryed oute.1595 T. Churchyard 36 That light doth..glorie show of heauens hie To damned spreets of hell.a1657 W. Mure (1898) I. 11 For he, now Cupid, now a spreit, did liue me.δ. c1515 Ld. Berners tr. (1882–7) cxxxii. 492 Glad was Huon when he had loste the syghte of the spryghte.1570 B. Googe tr. T. Kirchmeyer i. f. 4 An Emprour great of might, Whose necke was stampt and trode upon, by this deformed spright [sc. the Pope].1590 E. Spenser ii. x. sig. X5 Where companing with feends and filthy Sprights,..They brought forth Geaunts.a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) i. ii. 382 Foote it featly heere, and there, and sweete Sprights beare the burthen.1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot i. 176 I lay at the foot of that Eminence, and the Sprights did not at all disturb my rest.1738 J. Swift p. xxxiii Some scrupulous Persons,..who, by a prejudiced Education, are afraid of Sprights.1769 19 Aug. Sprights never eat or drink.1813 J. Hogg Introd. 21 Each glen was sought for tales..Of boding dreams, of wandering spright.a1879 C. D. Helmer in (1880) 326 Before the crystal window stands The wailing spright, and wrings his hands.1982 28 13/1 The wandering ghosts, sprights, and spectres of More's stanzas are counter-images to the soulless, mechanically manipulated Abdullah.the world > animals > by nature > [noun] > little or playful the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > playful mischievousness > mischievous person > [noun] the world > life > the body > bodily height > shortness > [noun] > person 1684 T. Otway iv. 44 Court. Fly little Spright, and tell her, I'm impatient: tell her, I'll wait on her within a moment: tell her—Page. But Sir—Court. Be gone, be gone, you Knave, or you'll be caught else. 1730 A. Brice 114 Yet..Skulking obscur'd from fascinating Palms Of Do-og's rampant Sp'rits while I recede, To grinding Need I fainty Bondslave yield. 1808 Oct. 57 What can we think, now, of an author, who, before he is able to get through the three Introductions prefixed to this little sprite of a volume, meditates his own death? 1874 M. B. Smedley 273 He was yet A slender sprite of ten. 1934 in B. James (1969) 152 Attack after attack on the English goal. Superb work by that sprite of a player, Cook, on the extreme right. 1972 Nov. 72/2 Near the trail lived that elusive sprite, the gray-breasted wood wren. 2005 J. Fredston vi. 179 A wizened sprite of a man in his late seventies. 1979 11 Oct. 32/1 The first two bytes of each block specify the vertical and horizontal coordinates of the sprite. 2010 J. Hagbood et al. ii. 15 We will begin by preparing all of the sprites needed for our game. 1994 21 878/2 The term ‘sprite’ has been suggested by D. Sentman (personal communication, 1993). 1994 (transcript of TV programme) (Nexis) 30 July For the first time, scientists have captured strange kinds of lightning on videotape. They are calling these upward shooting flashes ‘red sprites’. 2012 D. A. J. Seargeant iv. 187 Sprites can be observed with the naked eye from a dark location, but seeing these fleeting electronic ghosts of the sky is not easy. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2019; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < n.1340 |