earth
Use Earth in a sentence
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
| to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax. |
before 950; Middle English erthe, Old English eorthe; cognate with German Erde, Dutch aarde, Old Norse jǫrth, Danish jord, Gothic airtha
3. Earth, globe, world are terms applied to the planet on which we dwell. Earth is used especially in speaking of a condition of existence contrasted with that in heaven or hell: those who are yet on earth. Globe formerly emphasized merely the roundness of the earth: to circumnavigate the globe. It is now used more like world with especial application to the inhabitants of the earth and their activities, interests, and concerns. In this sense, both globe and world are more inclusive than earth and are used more abstractly: the politics of the globe; the future of the world; One World.
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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earth (ɜːθ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | (sometimes capital) the third planet from the sun, the only planet on which life is known to exist. It is not quite spherical, being flattened at the poles, and consists of three geological zones, the core, mantle, and thin outer crust. The surface, covered with large areas of water, is enveloped by an atmosphere principally of nitrogen (78 per cent), oxygen (21 per cent), and some water vapour. The age is estimated at over four thousand million years. Distance from sun: 149.6 million km; equatorial diameter: 12 756 km; mass: 5.976 × 1024 kg; sidereal period of axial rotation: 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds; sidereal period of revolution about sun: 365.256 daysRelated: terrestrial, tellurian, telluric, terrene |
| 2. | the inhabitants of this planet: the whole earth rejoiced |
| 3. | the dry surface of this planet as distinguished from sea or sky; land; ground |
| 4. | the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the surface of the ground and consists of disintegrated rock particles, mould, clay, etc; soil |
| 5. | worldly or temporal matters as opposed to the concerns of the spirit |
| 6. | the hole in which some species of burrowing animals, esp foxes, live |
| 7. | chem rare earth See alkaline earth |
| 8. | a. a connection between an electrical circuit or device and the earth, which is at zero potential |
| b. US and Canadian equivalent: ground a terminal to which this connection is made | |
| 9. | Also called: earth colour any of various brown pigments composed chiefly of iron oxides |
| 10. | (modifier) astrology air fire Compare water of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn |
| 11. | informal cost the earth to be very expensive |
| 12. | come back to earth, come down to earth to return to reality from a fantasy or daydream |
| 13. | on earth used as an intensifier in such phrases as what on earth, who on earth, etc |
| 14. | run to earth |
| a. to hunt (an animal, esp a fox) to its earth and trap it there | |
| b. to find (someone) after searching | |
| —vb | |
| 15. | (intr) (of a hunted fox) to go to ground |
| 16. | (tr) to connect (a circuit, device, etc) to earth |
| Related: terrestrial, tellurian, telluric, terrene | |
| [Old English eorthe; related to Old Norse jorth, Old High German ertha, Gothic airtha, Greek erā] | |
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earth
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earth (ûrth)
n.
Any of several metallic oxides, such as alumina or zirconia, from which it is difficult to remove oxygen. No longer in technical use.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Earth (ûrth) Pronunciation Key
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Earth definition
The planet on which we live — the third planet from the sun.
Note: The Earth was formed at the same time as the sun, about 4.6 billion years ago.
Note: It consists of an inner core made of iron and nickel, an outer core of liquid metal, a mantle, and, on the outside, a crust.
Note: The surface of the solid Earth is in a state of constant change as the rock is moved around by the processes of plate tectonics.
Note: On the Earth's surface, the oceans and the continents form the stage on which the evolution of life takes place. The atmosphere above the surface circulates, producing the daily weather.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Earth definition
(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word _adamah'_. In Gen. 9:20 "husbandman" is literally "man of the ground or earth." Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules' burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil. (2). As the rendering of _'erets_, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). _Erets_ also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (2 Chr. 13:9). In the New Testament "the earth" denotes the land of Judea (Matt. 23:35); also things carnal in contrast with things heavenly (John 3:31; Col. 3:1, 2).
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earth
see down to earth; ends of the earth; four corners of the earth; move heaven and earth; not have an earthly chance; on earth; run to earth; salt of the earth.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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