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to spirit

to spirit

10 7.8
To take someone or something away quickly and secretly
  • verb
  • /ˈspɪrɪt/
: sacar a escondidas
  • He managed to trace her to the hospital somehow and was on the point of spiriting away this morning.

Examples

  • Send in the troops and spirit him away somewhere.

  • I must spirit you away from England.

  • Where a boat was waiting to spirit them away.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • We must spirit her away from here and get that formula now.

  • Darling, I'm afraid I have to spirit you away.

  • Not many people could spirit children away to another continent.

    Blog text (4)
  • I think she was hoping that I could just spirit Nicole away.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Then your father spirited you away... before Semira arrived with her troops.

  • The day after the bombing, a delegation from The Children’s Embassy spirited her away among a group of Italian journalists.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • We must spirit the witnesses away to a safe location before the trial starts.

Synonyms

to sneak
vsto spirit
851 2.8

To move or take something quietly so others do not notice

focuses on quick secret removal rather than slow stealth
to spirit away
vsto spirit
  • Literature
6 8.7

To take someone or something away quickly and secretly, often in a mysterious way

is ordinary and lacks the mysterious or magical element
to spirit off
vsto spirit
1 9.4

To take someone or something away quickly and secretly

is ordinary and lacks any magical or supernatural sense

Antonyms

∞ 2.3

Show something that was hidden or secret

Phrasal Verbs

to spirit up
  • Informal
15 7.0

Make someone feel happier and full of energy

to spirit away
  • Literature
6 8.7

To take someone or something away quickly and secretly, often in a mysterious way

To take someone or something away quickly and secretly

To make people in a town or neighbourhood feel closer and more willing to help each other

Compounds

114 4.5

The presence of God that Christians believe works in the world to guide and comfort people

evil spirit
  • Literature
50 6.8

A ghost or invisible being people believe causes harm and bad luck

35 1.8

A warm, generous feeling people have at Christmas time

34 4.8

A person who follows their own way and ignores social rules

spirit world
  • Literature
31 7.9

A place where spirits like ghosts, angels, or ancestors live

11 2.4

A feeling of pride and support that helps a group work well together

good spirit
  • Literature
8 7.8

A kind spirit that protects people and brings good luck

A strong will and courage to keep trying against difficulties

spirit animal
  • Literature
4 7.0

An animal believed to show a person's character or guide them

A feeling that makes people feel they belong and help each other

A wish to take risks and try new things

guardian spirit
  • Literature
2 7.9

A protective being or angel that watches over a person

spirit gum
  • Specialized
2 8.1

Glue that sticks fake hair or makeup pieces to skin

A strong feeling of being able to act without limits

water spirit
  • Literature
1 9.8

A magical being in stories that lives in rivers, lakes, or the sea

familiar spirit
  • Literature
1 9.9

A small magical animal that helps a witch or wizard

1 7.5

A thing that matches someone's mood or personality, often said jokingly

1 7.0

Strong loyalty to a political party that makes you biased

disembodied spirit
  • Literature
1 9.5

A spirit without a body that appears to people or stays near places

1 4.9

A feeling of pride and responsibility for your town that makes you help improve it

A lively, friendly way of acting that likes fun and makes people laugh

A strong will to keep trying when things are hard

wood spirit
  • Specialized
1 9.4

A poisonous alcohol people make by heating wood, used as fuel or solvent

Alcohol made unsafe to drink by adding poisons and used for cleaning or as a fuel

1 4.1

A tool with a closed tube and a bubble to check if surfaces like a shelf are flat or upright

spirit lamp
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A small lamp that burns alcohol to heat things in a lab

1 8.0

A determined, practical way of working hard and never giving up, often linked to people from the northern United States

proof spirit
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A liquid with fifty percent alcohol that serves as a standard for measuring alcohol strength

spirit rapper
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A person who makes knocking sounds and says they are messages from the dead

A strong wish to travel and live in different places

spirit rapping
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A way people think ghosts answer by making short knocking sounds

spirit of turpentine
  • Specialized
1 9.0

A strong liquid used to thin oil paint and clean brushes

camphor spirit
  • Archaic
7.4

A liquid made of alcohol and camphor used to rub on the skin or breathe in for cough relief

A strong feeling of people working together and being determined in hard times

Excitement and eagerness a new person shows when starting a job or class

A lively joyful feeling that shows in energetic Ukrainian dance

9.9

A joking way to show strong American pride, for example with flags and eagles

Rhodie spirit
  • Jargon
9.1

A strong feeling of pride and unity at Rhododendron University events

A strong alcohol used to clean skin before injections or surgery

8.1

A small portable cooker that burns alcohol for cooking and heating

9.4

A strong wish to keep trying that cannot be stopped

Yesvember spirit
  • Neologism
9.9

A positive, open attitude people choose in November

zombi spirit
  • Literature
9.9

A spirit in voodoo that makes a dead body come back to life

zombie spirit
  • Literature
9.9

A ghost believed to bring a dead body back to life

How Stealthy

to spirit
10 7.8
to smuggle
  • NSFW
180 3.9
sneak
60 5.6
to take
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

spirit infinitive
spirited past
spirited past participle
spiriting present participle
spirits third person singular

Etymology

Spirit used as a verb to mean 'carry away quickly' can be remembered by thinking of an invisible spirit or wind that takes someone away in secret. That's why to spirit someone away means to move them fast and quietly.