That’s the Spirit(s) Word Power ANSWERS

Most examples of spirit are ethereal, such as a person’s soul or mood, or even a ghost. But what about that most earthly of spirits—aka alcohol? That meaning may have originated as a term for the vapors produced by distillation; spiritus is Latin for “breath.” Or it could be linked to the final product of distillation: pure alcohol, the “spirit” of the original liquid.

1. canticle

(c) Biblical

song. The choir sang a canticle to begin Sunday’s service.

2. asana

(b) yoga pose.

Barbara’s favorite asana is downward-facing dog.

3. halal

(c) fit or lawful.

My family is Muslim, so we’ve always followed a halal diet. 4. mezuzah

(a) scroll hung by a door. The Rosens bought that pretty mezuzah on a family trip to Israel. 5. vespers

(a) evening service. If we don’t eat dinner soon, we’ll be late to Christmas Eve vespers.

6. genuflect

(c) kneel.

After my knee surgery, I couldn’t genuflect for a month.

7. lama

(c) Buddhist monk. In Tibetan, the title Dalai Lama means “oceanmonk” because the spiritual head of the religion is said to possess an ocean of compassion.

8. halcyon

(b) peaceful.

I’m an early riser because I adore those halcyon moments that happen just as the sun comes up.

9. atone

(c) make up for.

Ellen broke her mother’s camera, and she will be atoning for that for years.

10. ashram

(c) religious

retreat. Though ashrams are usually associated with Hinduism, they’ve become popular in the United States as sites for other forms of spiritual contemplation.

11. homily (a) sermon. Can I just borrow the car without all the usual homilies?

12. thaumaturgist (a) miracle worker. That man who “cures” blindness with a touch of his hand says he’s a thaumaturgist, but he’s really just a huckster.

13. supplicate

(a) pray.

Before his big presentations, Boris would supplicate to the gods of public speaking.

14. kinara

(b) set of

seven candles. The first kinara, used to celebrate Kwanzaa, was created 55 years ago.

15. psyche

(a) soul.

Why do so many politicians seem to have the psyche of a potted plant?