English · Phrasal verb Attested

spirit away

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: to spirit away

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To remove without anyone's noticing.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

loại bỏ mà không ai để ý

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

The paintings were spirited away under cover of darkness.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To carry off through the agency of a spirit or through some magical means.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Mang đi bằng cách bí ẩn hoặc ma thuật

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To kidnap, or inveigle away.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

bắt cóc hoặc lừa đi

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “spirit away” mean?

To remove without anyone's noticing.

Is “spirit away” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.