'That's the spirit!'

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello.

I guess that this phrase is used when someone has been talking for some time (from a short while to a long tirade), but finally you hear something that you think is correct or just what you've expected to hear, and then you say: 'That's the spirit!', meaning 'Yes, you're right!'.

Am I right?

No. When you say to people, "That's the spirit," you're telling them they have a great attitude.

Examples:

-----

You: "Can you fix my car today?"

Your friend: "No problem! I'll have it running better than ever in half an hour."

You: "That's the spirit!"

-----

Your boss: "We have a big deadline. Can you work late tonight?

You: "Absolutely. This is a great project, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to get it done. You can count on me!"

Your boss: "That's the spirit!"


[I'm a copy editor and have tutored university writing.]