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# ghost

noun (a ghost, ghosts); verb (ghost, ghosts, ghosted, ghosting — slang)

«ghost» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. In stories, the spirit of a dead person that people believe can be seen or heard. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#m1)
2. A very faint trace of something: "a ghost of a smile". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#m2)
3. (verb, slang) To suddenly stop answering someone's messages and ignore them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#m3)
4. give up the ghost (informal): to die, or of a machine, to stop working. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#m4)

### In the lessons

In stories, Halloween and spooky games. In real speech: "she ghosted me". Phrases: ghost story, ghost town, not a ghost of a chance, give up the ghost, ghost writer.

### Examples

- We told ghost stories round the campfire. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#x1)
- He dressed up as a ghost for Halloween. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#x2)
- The old house is said to have a ghost. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#x3)
- She hasn't a ghost of a chance of winning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#x4)
- My old phone finally gave up the ghost. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#x5)
- (slang) He ghosted me after the party. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#x6)
- It's a ghost town on Sunday mornings. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/#x7)

### Note

The h is silent: "gohst". Adjective: ghostly. Science: there is no proof that ghosts are real. Plural: ghosts.

## In Jewish tradition

A ghost here means the spirit of a dead person that a medium claims to call up and ask for secret knowledge. The Torah forbids this.

**Interpretation.** Tradition counts consulting the dead as a kind of forbidden magic. It teaches that Jews should seek guidance from God and not from the dead.

### Examples

- or a charmer, or one that consulteth a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a necromancer. (Torah DEU.18.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/ghost/#x1)
- Turn ye not unto the ghosts, nor unto familiar spirits; seek them not out, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. (Torah LEV.19.31, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/ghost/#x2)
- A man also or a woman that divineth by a ghost or a familiar spirit, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them. (Torah LEV.20.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/ghost/#x3)
- And Saul had put away those that divined by a ghost or a familiar spirit out of the land. (Prophets 1SA.28.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/ghost/#x4)
- So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD, which he kept not; and also for that he asked counsel of a ghost, to inquire thereby, (Writings 1CH.10.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/ghost/#x5)
- And when they shall say unto you: 'Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead (Prophets ISA.8.19, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/ghost/#x6)

### Note

The h is silent: "gohst". Adjective: ghostly. Science: there is no proof that ghosts are real. Plural: ghosts.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «ghost» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/ghost/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ghost» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ghost.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «ghost» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/ghost/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ghost» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/ghost.html) on Mova free.