earth
earth definition
earth (ʉrt̸h)
noun
- 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
- this world, as distinguished from heaven and hell
- all the people on the earth
- land, as distinguished from sea or sky; the ground
- the soft, granular or crumbly part of land; soil; ground
- Old Poet.
- the substance of the human body
- the human body
- the concerns, interests, etc. of human life; worldly matters
- the hole of a burrowing animal; lair
- Obsolete a land or country
- 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
- Elec., Brit. ground
Etymology: ME erthe < OE eorthe, akin to Ger erde < IE base *er- > Gr era, earth, Welsh erw, field
transitive verb
- to cover (up) with soil for protection, as seeds or plants
- to chase (an animal) into a hole or burrow
intransitive verb
to hide in a burrow: said of a fox, etc.
earth Idioms
down to earth
- practical; realistic
- 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
- to hunt down
- to find by search
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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