soul

soul [ soul ] noun ***

▸ 1 mind/spirit of person

▸ 2 person

▸ 3 strong feeling/emotion

▸ 4 something's special qualities

▸ 5 soul music

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) count the part of a person that is capable of thinking and feeling

a ) the spiritual part of a person that most religions believe continues to exist after their body dies

2. ) count usually singular a person:

I promise I won't tell a soul.

not a soul: There wasn't a soul to be seen.

Not a soul in the world would blame you for what you did.

a ) count a particular type of person:

Her husband was killed in the war, poor soul.

b ) souls plural MAINLY LITERARY people:

a village of only 170 souls

3. ) uncount a quality in a piece of art, music, or writing that expresses strong feelings and affects people's emotions:

His poetry contains many beautiful images, but it lacks soul.

a ) the ability to feel strong emotions such as happiness and sadness:

If you're not touched by this movie, you've no soul.

4. ) uncount the qualities that are typical of something and make it special:

the soul of the city/university/community etc.: The loss of local shops has destroyed the soul of the community.

5. ) uncount SOUL MUSIC

be the soul of something

to be the perfect example of a particular quality:

She's the soul of discretion.

bless his/her soul or God rest his/her soul OLD-FASHIONED

used for showing love or respect when you talk about someone who is dead

bless my soul OLD-FASHIONED

used for expressing surprise

good for the soul

good for you:

Laughter is good for the soul.

sell your soul (to the devil)

to do whatever is necessary to get something you want, even if it involves doing something dishonest or immoral:

He would sell his soul for a seat in the cabinet.

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