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earth definition

earth (ʉrt̸h)

noun

  1. the planet that we live on; terrestrial globe: it is the fifth largest planet of the solar system and the third in distance from the sun: diameter, c. 12,760 km (c. 7,930 mi); period of revolution, one earth year; period of rotation, 24 hours; one satellite; symbol, ♁: often with the
  2. this world, as distinguished from heaven and hell
  3. all the people on the earth
  4. land, as distinguished from sea or sky; the ground
  5. the soft, granular or crumbly part of land; soil; ground
  6. Old Poet.
    1. the substance of the human body
    2. the human body
    3. the concerns, interests, etc. of human life; worldly matters
  7. the hole of a burrowing animal; lair
  8. Obsolete a land or country
  9. Chem. any of the metallic oxides, formerly classed as elements, which are reduced with difficulty to an alkaline-earth metal, rare-earth element, or certain other metals
  10. Elec., Brit. ground

Etymology: ME erthe < OE eorthe, akin to Ger erde < IE base *er- > Gr era, earth, Welsh erw, field

transitive verb

  1. to cover (up) with soil for protection, as seeds or plants
  2. to chase (an animal) into a hole or burrow

intransitive verb

to hide in a burrow: said of a fox, etc.
earth Idioms

come back to earth

or come down to earth
to stop being impractical; return to reality

down to earth

  1. practical; realistic
  2. sincere; without affectation

go to earth

Chiefly Brit. to go into hiding

on earth

of all things: an intensive used mainly after interrogative pronouns what on earth do you mean?

run to earth

Etymology: < use in fox hunting

  1. to hunt down
  2. to find by search

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