Stop taking spirit and stop working (4,2,3,5)
I believe the answer is:
give up the ghost
'stop working' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'stop taking spirit' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'stop' could be 'giveup' (synonyms) and 'giveup' is located in the answer.
'spirit' could be 'ghost' (spirit can mean a ghost) and 'ghost' is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'the' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'and' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for give up the ghost that I've seen before include "Stop working" , "about to die" , "Decide to write for oneself" , "Fail to go on" , "let someone else play Hamlet's father?" .)